Image Source: MTV
I had seen this show advertised for months before it aired in November on MTV, yet the show is nearing the end of season one, and everyone that I have mentioned this show to has no idea what I’m talking about.
I’m more of a binge-watcher by nature, so I let my DVR collect a few episodes before I started actually watching, but once I started it, I was hooked. I love shows featuring strong female leads, and I love when badass girls can actually kick ass, too.
Image Source: Sweet/Vicious
So here’s the basis of what the show is about: a sorority girl, Jules, gets raped by her best friend’s boyfriend, Nate. The show starts a year later, when Jules is a full on masked vigilante, attacking guys around campus who have raped girls and gotten away with it. Ophelia, a green haired, computer hacking genius and weed dealer, finds out what Jules is up to and joins the cause.
Image Source: MTV
The show is unafraid of brutal attacks and gore, which many viewers will see as well-deserved, but what makes this show so important is that it sheds light on rape culture. Jules’s sexual assault took place after a night of drinking and fun with a friend she trusted. She was asleep when Nate made his move, but she quickly woke up and repeatedly told him “no” and “stop.” Nate covered her mouth with his hand and continued, saying “this can be our secret.” It’s later revealed that Nate didn’t even realize what he did was considered rape. In society, this seems to be still considered a gray area, but the thing is, it isn’t. If a girl says “no” or “stop” – hell, if she says anything other than “yes” – you don’t have her consent and you need to stop.
Image Source: Sweet/Vicious
Unfortunately, this is something we need represented in pop culture. In a post-Law & Order SVU world, we have to deconstruct assault and show the reality of the situation. Girls aren’t always believed, and a sickening amount of people will side with the guy, asking, “Are you sure this was assault and not a mistake you made that you’re regretting?” No matter how many shows touch on the subject, rape culture is still alive and well in our society. We can’t stop calling it out.
When Jules joins a support group, a common sentiment is “I don’t feel comfortable and safe in my own skin, while he gets to walk around like nothing happened. I wish he could feel as afraid on this campus as I do,” and Jules and Ophelia make sure that happens, finding a little justice for these girls.
Image Source: Sweet/Vicious
You can binge season one through your cable provider on MTV’s website and app
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