Olivias story is an example of how consent isnt just black and white

Anatomy of a Scandal is teaching people right now more about consent than sex education in any school classroom has ever. The main storyline is the court case of James Whitehouse, an MP who had an affair with his researcher and she is now accusing him of rape. She says they had consensual sex countless times during their affair, but on one occasion in a lift she withdraw her consent and he continued.

The show sheds light on how consent can be withdrawn at any point during a sexual encounter, but it really has me questioning why has it taken a Netflix show for this to get attention?

Since the show was released there have been calls to have Olivias story and the courtroom scenes shown in schools. And its true, my personal sex education whilst I was a teenager never even mentioned consent, let alone the idea that it isnt as simple as a yes or no at the time of initiating sex. Instead we had teachers awkwardly wheel in the television, play a video of a cartoon mum and dad who love each other a lot and have sex in their marital bed. No mention of LGBT sex, consent, or anything that wasnt a pretty picture of loving sex between two people.

The show talks about the so-called blurred lines of consent but why are they blurred? It should be obvious that someone can decide at any point that they no longer want to have sex with someone but no, this isnt understood. And crucially, it isnt understood that this is rape. There are women and men everywhere who feel as though once they have said yes once, thats it. And if you change your mind thats on you, and you wont be believed if you say thats wrong.

Olivia goes from a powerful testimony of how she may have followed James into the lift, but when he became rough and ripped her top she no longer wanted to have sex with him. Just minutes later she is being torn to shreds and called a liar because its obvious she wanted it because she followed him there and had had sex with him before. Her choice of words is deeply analysed and because she didnt quite literally shove James off and yell no in his face, thats obviously a yes, right? Saying not here and scrambling to get him off just wasnt enough. This is wrong.

Dont get me wrong, I am very aware how courts work. Im not here trying to argue that we shouldnt cross examine witnesses and that defence lawyers arent needed or do anything they shouldnt. But, the principle is all the same. There stood a woman who faced not being believed for the simple reason of how she went about presenting her consent, changing her mind, and because she had slept with the man in question before.

Anatomy of a Scandal does a powerful job in displaying the current issues regarding consent. One of the most subtle yet powerful characters in this storyline is Sophie. She is no longer the dutiful wife sticking by her husband and you can tell from very early on she understands that no matter what her ties to James and their family are, she cannot sit back and pretend what he did isnt wrong.

I have told friends to watch Anatomy of a Scandal, and spoken to loads of people I know about the issues surrounding consent it raises. Yes, it probably would be beneficial for the courtroom scenes to be used as an aid in sex education classes at schools, but the thing is, it shouldnt have to be. The reaction to the show has proven more needs to be done to make everyone aware of what consent is, and it needs to be done now.

Anatomy of a Scandal is available on Netflix now.For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memeslike The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

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Anatomy of a Scandal teaches more about consent than school ever did - The Tab