Anatomy Of A Scandal Viewers Praise Series For Highlighting Right To Withdraw Consent

Warning: Major spoilers for Anatomy Of A Scandal ahead.

Fans of Anatomy Of A Scandal are full of praise for the new Netflix thriller, after it explored the importance of verbal consent and a person's right to withdraw consent during sex.

The six-part series tells the story of Minister in Parliament James Whitehouse and his wife Sophie, whose lives are turned upside down when a shocking allegation embroils their family in a major scandal.

Watch the trailer here:

After deciding to stand by her husband James (Rupert Friend) amid allegations that he had cheated on her with his aide Olivia (Naomi Scott), Sophie (Sienna Miller) is stunned when she learns that Olivia has accused him of rape and plans to take him to court.

What James described as a meaningless affair is soon described by Olivia as something much more, when she confesses in court that she was in love with him. She alleges that, a week after calling off their affair, James sexually assaulted her in the House of Commons.

Because he once had a consensual physical relationship with Olivia, it becomes clear that James believes all of his actions were entirely consensual, even after their affair ended.

After pleading not guilty to the court, James later lies in his testimony and denies that he heard Olivia say the words "not here" during the incident.

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Reacting to the gripping series, fans took to Twitter with buckets of praise, thanking creators for opening up the discussion on sexual consent, and reminding viewers that consent can be withdrawn at any time.

One tweeted: "#AnatomyOfAScandal highlights the journey from ‘yes’ to ‘no’ during sex and how rarely it is even considered as rape. The series is educational as much as it is a reminder for society to understand the layered nuances of consent. Bloody good series!"

A second impressed viewer wrote: "Olivia’s description of the rape is so harrowing because I bet more women than you think have gone through this. You have done everything to resist and fight off but they go ahead and do it. They don’t think it’s rape but it is. She withdrew consent. #AnatomyOfAScandal".

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Meanwhile, a third fan posted: "What makes #AnatomyOfAScandal scary is that most women have experienced situations like those described but never call it rape. Equally scary is the number of men who feel the way James does. Boys need to be taught to listen to the verbal and nonverbal cues of their partners."

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Another added: "Just binged #AnatomyOfAScandal on Netflix and it’s honestly one of the very few shows I have thoroughly enjoyed in recent months. One of the most thought provoking insights into sexual consent laws and practices. 10/10".

All six episodes of Anatomy Of A Scandal are available to watch now on Netflix.