Set among the everyday lives of ordinary, working-class people on the rainy cobbles of North Manchester, England, Coronation Street is the world’s longest running soap opera. It is enduringly popular partly for its hard-hitting, topical storylines.
The show’s writers have partnered with charities to tackle contemporary issues from hate crime to radicalisation. One such current storyline – supported by the sex education charity Schools Consent Project – tells of the rape of one of the show’s main characters. In episode 10,892 (broadcast on March 3 2023), Amy Barlow, who is 18 years old, is raped by her friend’s on-again-off-again boyfriend, Aaron Sandford.
My research shows how typical Amy’s experience is of the state of rape justice in England and Wales. Like many victim-survivors of rape, she feels blamed by the police. She also blames herself for what happened.
