06. Olivia Benson is the model TV lifestyle feminist
Watch another episode from Law. & Order: SVU (Season 27, episode 2 "A Waiver of Consent"); then, in 2-3 paragraphs, answer the following question: "How does this episode portray sexual assault/rape?"
This particular episode of SVU was bone chilling to me. There is something more sinister about organizational sex crimes; the enablers are creating spaces for other perpetrators to safely commit their crimes.
“A Waiver of Consent” showcases just how far some enablers and perpetrators are willing to go. By telling customers into believing the consent contract signed was enforceable, they committed an act of psychological manipulation or forceful act of power. This is another layer to the assault.
Noticeably, Benson has to guide the newcomer in handling victims and educate him on sex crimes. The most poignent example is when she has to tell the new detective to move aside so the victim can leave the hospital. Here, she has to explain the shame affiliated with rape rather plainly. She continuously fulfills the role of the lifestyle feminist and finds power in this role.
Shame is tied very closely with consent in this episode. The victims do not feel safe to speak about their assaults because they think they gave up their right to consent. Because the episode is framed from the perspective of the newcomer and his learning curve, the audience is getting schooled as well. The audience is educated on what consent is, who has consent, and if consent can be taken from someone. “A Wavier of Consent” is classically feminist in structure, education, and writing.
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