Have you ever watched a show that makes you say, "One more episode before I go to bed," even though you know it's a lie and you have no one to blame but yourself? I can count on more than one hand how many times I've used that demotivating sentence, and I'm not ashamed. My vulnerabilities are television shows that deal with real-life themes like sex trafficking, rape, divorce, and infidelity.  Despite popular belief, television shows are far more than mere entertainment. Viewers of television programs are educated on topics that the government does not want them to acknowledge. Therefore, Producers use their resourcefulness to raise awareness of topics that are uncomfortable to vocalize because they know no one else would. The cancellation of TV shows depicting the effects of difficult subjects like rape and sexual harassment aids in the erasure of these issues from society. 

Five high school students dealing with racial, political, and sexual conflicts while attempting to discover who they are are the subject of the new Netflix hit series Grand Army. Joey Del Marco in particular was sexually assaulted by George and Luke, whom she believed to be her two closest friends, in a taxi. The viewers learned how a rape kit is put together, how it can affect a person physically and mentally, and how reporting it is not taken seriously. Moreover,  Joey's journey was painful to watch because it was agonizing to see someone you had essentially watched grow up struggle with self-confidence, but it was also educational. I've never seen a rape kit performed or the lasting psychological effects that rape can have. The show was then canceled in July 2021, owing to what Robinson, a lead writer for What’s on Netflix, described as “a lack of hype and interest in the show”. Tell me how a top ten show on Netflix became unwatchable.  The fact that the episode ended on a cliffhanger confused many viewers. Did Joey file a report? Did she confront the witness who witnessed her rape?, and Was Justice served? Viewers and I were denied access due to Netflix to learn how the legal process of rape and sexual assault is sanctioned.  

The directors and producers create these realistic narratives not only to entertain the audience but also to convey a message in each episode. There's always a teachable moment.  Rumberg, the chief executive officer of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, explains how “elaborating on survivors’ experiences during and after sexual assault and giving air time to the long-term impact on society as a whole, shows can help educate audiences about how harrowing it can be to report an incident of sexual violence, and provide examples of how to demonstrate support to survivors.” 

When a show that broadcasts the dark and ugly of current American issues is canceled, Americans lose their right to be taught the truth about what's happening in their society.  

Streaming companies want to cancel rape and sexual assault series because they cause discomfort and expose a disturbing reality they refuse to believe. So, shall we join them in their fantasy world? 

Let's cancel how the CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, details how over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes.

Let’s cancel how the CDC claims that the estimated cost of rape at $122,461 per survivor, including medical costs, lost productivity, criminal justice activities, and other costs. 

Let’s cancel how the CDC states that survivors may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and experience re-occurring reproductive, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and sexual health problems.

Joey Del Marco exemplified what many rape and sexual assault victims went through. Joey was the voice for a cause that isn't always justified or brought about by social media. For that reason broadcasting rape and sexual assault help what the CDC claims “helps us understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. We must also understand how historical trauma and structural inequities impact health”. As a result, canceling shows like Grand Army creates a dangerous reality in which there are no dangers in the world, resulting in a generation of ignorance. Rumberg declares that if we “avoid the topic altogether, we risk skirting a serious and widespread problem that’s a reality for millions of women and men across the country”.

Millions of women, men, and non-binary rape victims are a reality that must be addressed, or our fictional world will crumble and the antagonist will strike again. 

Works Consulted

“Fast Facts: Preventing Sexual Violence |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/fastfact.html. Accessed 14 April 2023.

Robinson, Jacob. “'Grand Army' Season 2: Canceled After One Season at Netflix.” What's on Netflix, 6 July 2021, whats-on-netflix.com/news/grand-army-season-2-canceled-after-one-season-at-netflix/. Accessed 14 April 2023.

Rumburg, Delilah. “How TV Can Help Improve Our Understanding of Sexual Violence.” TIME, 22 September 2016, time.com/4501358/joe-biden-law-and-order-sexual-violence/. Accessed 14 April 2023.