Last month, in disturbing Coronation Street scenes, Aaron Sandford preyed on his girlfriend's best friend Amy Barlow after the pair ended up drinking together at the flat they shared. Aaron raped Amy in the ITV soap but has continued to deny any wrongdoing.
After having drinks to celebrate Aaron qualifiying to become a mechanic at Kevin Webster's garage, events took a dark turn as Amy, played by Ellie Mulvaney, went to her bedroom to find more booze and Aaron, played by James Craven, followed her. As they sat down on the bed Aaron complimented Amy and kissed her in the storyline exploring consent.
Amy then declared that she felt sick and rolled away from him. But Aaron moved in closer and continued to kiss Amy, who was unaware of what was happening as he was seen making the decision for her that they would have sex.
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The following day she realised what had happened to her, but Aaron denied rape. Later a distraught Amy told her parents that she thought she had got it wrong. "I think I got it wrong. Maybe I got it wrong, overreacted," she said heartbreakingly. "Now I've realsed I don't feel so bad. I can cope."
In the weeks since, the discussion from viewers on social media over episodes featuring Amy and Aaron has continued, which is obviously the point. But some shocking and ignorant comments have proven exactly why the ITV soap is absolutely right to shine a light on the issue of consent. One appalled soap watcher hit back: "We saw the rape, we know it was rape, yet misogynist dinosaurs are blaming the victim."
Elle, 20, who has played Amy since 2010, has received high praise for her portrayal of Amy, with one viewers Vicky speaking for many as she said: "Give Elle Mulvaney all the awards for how well she's portraying this pls."
In Monday night's episode (April 24) she shone again as Amy as her character lashed out at smug Aaron at a birthday party thrown for their friend Nina Lucas. After wrestling with her buried feelings, Amy snapped after seeing him flirting with a group of girls and then he put his hand on her which triggered distressing memories. "I know what you are and you know what you are," she told him.
Her friends Summer Spellman and Aadi Alahan went after her and Summer told her: "I've never seen you like that before." And Amy told her: "I've never been raped before. There, I said it." Explaining what had happened she said: "I was gone. I passed out. I didn't get a say."
Later Aadi confronted Aaron and told him angrily: "You're 6ft2 and she's 5ft nothing." But Aaron argued: "She can drink us under the table and you know that."
Aaron continued to lie that Amy wanted sex just as much as he did. As the pair tidied the builder's yard flat after the party, Aaron downed the remaining beers and passed out drunk on the sofa and it was clear that Aadi wanted revenge. Taking a marker pen he branded him with the word 'guilty' on his forehead as he slept. Let's hope that's a clear enough message.
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