Expert comment Last updated 03 April 2018
The male rape story line is tackling myths, stigma and taboo attitudes that exist in society according to University Researchers in Criminology.
The choice of David Platt as a rape survivor is an interesting one because he does not conform to male rape myths: a heterosexual man with a history of (and proven capacity for) physical violence, he is stereotypically very masculine, the fact that his attacker is his boxing coach further helps to dispel the misconception that this crime happens only to ‘effeminate’ men.The myths that surround male rape include the idea that men can prevent assault through self-defence, that victims are gay and most extreme of all, that it simply does not happen. This storyline helps to demonstrate the false nature of such beliefs.
Despite academic attempts to bring the issue of male rape into public discourse and reduce the stigma felt by victims, it remains taboo and our response gendered. The presumption that rape includes a female ‘victim’ and a male ‘offender’, impacts male survivors’ experiences. ‘Coronation Street’ is bravely tackling this subject, head on. In doing so, it is also approaching the tricky topic of masculinity. This decision should help to address some of the major reasons why men who have experienced sexual assault suffer in silence, tackling victim-blaming stereotypes which suggest that men who are victimised are chosen because “they are, or appear to be, gay”. Sadly, some survivors internalise this stigma which compounds it, both for LGBT men who fear that they will be blamed, and heterosexual men who fear that those around them will question their sexuality.
The bravery of this storyline is to be commended, however, there is already an unhealthy preoccupation with tying the credibility of male rape victims to heterosexuality. The implication that rape is uniquely painful and shocking when the victim is a heterosexual male dismisses the harm done to LGBT men and to women who experience sexual assault, it also attacks the masculinity of gay men by differentiating them from their heterosexual counterparts and placing them in the same ‘category’ as women. The view that the trauma of rape is compounded by the implicit ‘taint’ of homosexuality is an insult to both LGBT men and all survivors of sexual assault, ignoring as it does the vital issue of consent and conflating sexual orientation with a propensity for offending behaviour. In celebrating a diversion from stereotypes, we must be careful that we do not get into the unpleasant business of categorising ‘victims’ as ‘more’ or ‘less’ deserving.
Another myth this programme will help tackle is the idea that the male rape victim is not as impacted as his female counterpart. Where male rape is discussed in the media it is often trivialised. Media coverage thus far suggests that David Platt will find the experience very traumatic and difficult to discuss, and will not immediately seek help. Unfortunately, victims from any gender of so-called ‘date rape’ drugs often do not seek help, either legal or psychological, and fear that they shoulder at least part of the blame, especially if, as in this case, they cannot recall events but were aware of consuming alcohol and were told activity was consensual. David Platt is doubly victimised, firstly by a sexual predator, and secondly by a society which insists that men do not emote, that ‘boys don’t cry’. This may prevent him from processing events in an emotionally healthy way, and, already feeling as though his masculinity is under attack by being forced into a ‘female’ role, he may be unwilling to ‘own’ his trauma.
As a viewer this tragedy has so far been a difficult watch, not only because of the nature of the scenes but also because Josh seems to be almost indirectly seeking reassurance from David. For instance, in the first episode aired on the Friday 16 March, David compares Josh to his older brother and Josh replies with a comment which required a conformation that he was better looking than David’s brother. Additionally, on the second episode a conversation between the two seemed to be interpreted differently for the two parties:
David: “Can’t blame you”
Josh: “Having your back?”
David: “Well it is my best feature, come on?!” and laughs
Josh smiles
This relates to the issues relating to consent: fear on behalf of the victim that they may have played some role in the assault, and an attempt by the offender to both exploit this and create an emotional intimacy; factors which may inhibit survivors from speaking about their experiences.
In approaching the issue of male rape this popular programme may also help to explore our notions of masculinity; men often do not seek help for depression, whatever its cause, and attempts to conform to hegemonic masculinity can have tragic consequences for mentally ill men. If ‘Coronation Street’ can encourage a discourse on mental health and masculinity as well as male rape, we should all be grateful. This storyline is a brave step and hopefully represents the first sentence in a long overdue public conversation that one can only hope will lead to less stigma for the next generation.
Written by Laura Riley, Visiting Lecturer and PhD Researcher in Criminology, Cristiana Viana Cardoso, PhD Researcher and Assistant Lecturer in Criminology and Saabirah Osman Research Assistant in Criminology.