BBC to film controversial documentary asking viewers to vote ‘is this rape’

A documentary called This Rape? Sex on Trail will be aired on television where viewers and a panel of teenagers will watch actors act out a ‘sexual encounter’ between a teenage boy and girl.

They will then be asked if the girl gave consent and if the ‘encounter’ could be classed as rape.

Following the vote, a barrister will then explain the legal situation and what laws surround the issue of consent.

The documentary has already received criticism from rape survivor charities.

The concern is that people may be discouraged from reporting rape to the police depending on the outcome of the vote.

A spokeswoman from Rape Crisis told the Express: "If this is not responsibly handled, particularly with the public vote element, it has the potential to upset rape survivors and make them less likely to seek support."

A BBC spokesperson “After the participants and viewers vote on what they think is right an expert barrister explains the outcomes and proper legal position to both the participants and the audience at home so they can fully understand how consent is actually defined in law.

"Suggesting the viewers could be left misinformed, especially without having seen the programme, is entirely misleading.

"Sexual assault is a very real issue for young people and whilst we treat the subject with sensitivity we will not gloss over the issues it raises.”

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