Emmerdale viewers have criticised the ITV soap over the contentious issue of consent – after another storyline in which a woman is said to have taken advantage of a drunk man.
Some fans have begged the scriptwriters to become educated about “triggering” storylines – and have felt the need to inform them that a female assaulting a man is still assault.
Read more: Former Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten breaks silence following character death
Those watching the Yorkshire-based soap this week will know that Graham Foster is at the centre of a paternity riddle.
Earlier this week, the former military man discovered he could be Millie Tate’s biological dad.
When Millie was rushed to hospital after being knocked down and injured, Graham learned Millie’s date of birth – nine months after he and mum Andrea had a drunken one-night stand.
Read more: Emmerdale SPOILERS: Rhona ruins her chances of romance with Graham?
In a tense chat at the hospital following Millie’s horse riding accident, Graham and Andrea discussed their brief fling – with Andrea making it very clear that Graham was out of his mind with drink during their brief encounter.
As Andrea insisted Millie isn’t Graham’s daughter, he responded: “New Year’s Day 2014, you’d been working, I’d been propping up the bar all night. They turfed us out.
“You invited us back to your place and we ended up having sex. Unprotected as I recall.”
Andrea then asked: “How do you even remember? You were drunk. All of the time.”
Graham told her: “Maybe I was too drunk to work things out back then, but I’m stone cold sober now so I can do the maths.
“We both know I could be Millie’s father.”
However some viewers watching from home were worried about the soap storyline, believing Andrea took advantage of Graham.
https://twitter.com/ClaudiaBoleyn/status/1176563851439087616
While also sleeping with a seventeen year old boy. Grimmer.
— Sarah (@WomanUndercover) September 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/AlwaysRobron/status/1176643207066730496
https://twitter.com/lustyfan/status/1176564368328273928
One wrote: “You literally had Andrea say Graham was too drunk to remember, just like Rebecca openly said she realised Robert was too drunk and needed to go to bed and get sobered up before sleeping with him.
“Assault by women on men is still assault. Learn about consent please.”
The same concerned viewer continued: “It’s so unnecessary as well. With Robert and Rebecca they could have just… not had Robert [bleep] on the floor, and with the Graham and Andrea thing… Not have her say he was too drunk to remember. It’s genuinely disgusting! And also very triggering! #Emmerdale.”
Another added: “Andrea sleeping with a completely wasted Graham. Grim #Emmerdale.”
A third compared Andrea to Rebecca, typing: “Another woman who took advantage of drunk men.”
“This adding to the stupidity of Lee getting scott free of the rape, I am totally speechless at this narrative,” seethed another.
Viewers know that in March 2017, Robert Sugden downed a bottle of whiskey after an argument with boyfriend Aaron Dingle, who was in prison.
Smashed, he ended up in bed with his ex-girlfriend Rebecca White.
At the time, some fans lashed out at Rebecca and accused her of taking advantage of Robert while he was drunk.
In response, actress Emily Head said: “When Rebecca and Ross first slept together, Rebecca was drunk and everyone called her a slapper and the village bike. So I find it interesting how it’s different for Rebecca and Robert, how it seems different for the men and the women when they’ve been drinking.”
Earlier this year, Victoria Sugden was raped by Lee Posner but, in a cruel twist, the rapist won’t be punished.
ED! contacted Emmerdale for comment.
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