The “it’s fiction, learn to differentiate reality” argument is so tired. I KNOW it’s fiction. Fiction can still normalize and romanticize harmful behavior. And let’s be honest, the ML being attractive absolutely affects how people excuse what he does. There are literally real-life cases where attractive criminals received massive public sympathy because of their looks.
The issue isn’t rape simply existing in fiction; it’s how it’s repeatedly sexualized, romanticized, and excused when the perpetrator is the attractive ML. Authors rarely show the actual psychological aftermath either: PTSD, fear, withdrawal, difficulty trusting people, and long-term trauma. They skip that reality because actually portraying it would make it obvious how horrific rape is instead of making it look like “dark romance.”
And please don’t hit me with the “people watch murder mysteries and don’t become murderers” argument. Murder and rape aren’t interchangeable, especially when one is being repeatedly romanticized as part of a dark romance. And the normalization literally shows in the comments when people say, “MC deserved it.” Imagine saying that about an actual victim. Then when someone calls it out, you ask, “Why are you taking fiction so seriously?” THAT is exactly the problem. You’ve become so desensitized to it that rape is being treated like a casual plot device.
The “it’s fiction, learn to differentiate reality” argument is so tired. I KNOW it’s fiction. Fiction can still normalize and romanticize harmful behavior. And let’s be honest, the ML being attractive absolutely affects how people excuse what he does. There are literally real-life cases where attractive criminals received massive public sympathy because of their looks.
The issue isn’t rape simply existing in fiction; it’s how it’s repeatedly sexualized, romanticized, and excused when the perpetrator is the attractive ML. Authors rarely show the actual psychological aftermath either: PTSD, fear, withdrawal, difficulty trusting people, and long-term trauma. They skip that reality because actually portraying it would make it obvious how horrific rape is instead of making it look like “dark romance.”
And please don’t hit me with the “people watch murder mysteries and don’t become murderers” argument. Murder and rape aren’t interchangeable, especially when one is being repeatedly romanticized as part of a dark romance. And the normalization literally shows in the comments when people say, “MC deserved it.” Imagine saying that about an actual victim. Then when someone calls it out, you ask, “Why are you taking fiction so seriously?” THAT is exactly the problem. You’ve become so desensitized to it that rape is being treated like a casual plot device.