I used to be a member of a board dedicated soaps and every once in a while there was a situation that got fans arguing like crazy about issues of consent.
Situation 1 (DOOL, Sami, EJ &Lucas): She is in a car accident. Her boyfriend is trapped under the roof of the car and potentially dying. Another motorist drives by, holds a gun to her. She begs him to help her or else her boyfriend will die. He tells her she has to have sex with her or else he'll let the boyfriend die. She has sex with him.
Personally, that strikes me as straight forward rape. It's as much rape as the raider who comes into a town, shoots a child in the head and tells the mother if she doesn't have sex with him he'll kill her other children too. The legal definition of rape explicitly covers rape that happens while threatening somebody (for example with a weapon) or threatening others (the "I'll kill X if you don't sleep with me). But there was still discussion because... (IMO, probably because the actor is hot) I guess one could make cases for forced sex and non-con, I don't know?
Situation 2 (GH, Rick&Liz): They are married. He is lying to her, but she doesn't know that. So from her perspective they are happily married, love each other and have sex regularly. He slips her birthcontrol pills. She has a bad reaction to them. They have sex and I think she passes out after the fact? Something like that. Anyway, huge discussion, was it rape? Was it "just" icky? Was it not rape because they are married and she would have slept with him definitely if she hadn't had that reaction? Is it rape because she didn't consent to being slipped something she didn't know about (though he thought it would be harmless)? Is it normal like any married couple who go somewhere, she gets tipsy and when they come they have sex? And it is never brought up again on the show.
Situation 3 (B&B, Brooke &Ridge &Nick): They are a couple, happy together and all. Maybe quarrelling a bit about her ex, but nothing out of the ordinary to them. She drinks cough sirup. Has a bad reaction to it. He comes home. Isn't aware of it. They have sex. It's never addressed again. Is it rape? Is it "just" icky? Particularly since it's in connection with another storyline that is going on at the same time. About a year earlier Ridge and Brooke got married. An accident happened. He is presumed dead. She has a total freak out/break down. Her ex whom she dumped to be with Ridge holds her through it. They have sex. Two days later Ridge turns up not dead and she reunites with him, not potentially pregnant with her ex's kid. She never calls it rape, but Ridge many months later accuses the ex of taking advantage of Brooke when whe was in emotional distress and not truly herself.
Situation 4 (German soap, Roman &Deniz): They used to be a couple. Then D left R for a girl. Roman pursues him for a while and D rejects him. Then he begins sending mixed messages. He kisses Roman and then insists he loves his girlfriend. A bunch of times. Then D gets high and R and D have sex. Is it icky? Is it normal? Is it kinda exploitative? R sat there when D took the pills and knows that he is high. He knows from a previous event that being high lowers D's inhibitions. He tags along to a party that is at another location and there they have sex. He is also deeply convinced that D is gay and is just denying is sexuality. There are no additional pointers from the writing. No dundundun music to show that what is happening is bad. No sad romantic music to show that it is angsty and tragic. Is it sort of explotative because D was high and R wasn't? Is it just normal non-exciting behavior because so what, people have parties, people get high, people have sex there. Is it understandable because R really loves D and wants him back? Is it actually laudable because he is helping D to no longer deny his sexuality? Is it wrong because we know there is a good chance if R asked D for sex/a relationship at this point while D is sober D would likely turn him down?
I'd atually like it if somebody made a long detailed poll giving potential examples from fics and then let people vote what they would label it, rape, non-con, dub-con, nothing at all, something else... Maybe it would lead to some really interesting results.
Real Canon examples (last post I swear)
Situation 1 (DOOL, Sami, EJ &Lucas): She is in a car accident. Her boyfriend is trapped under the roof of the car and potentially dying. Another motorist drives by, holds a gun to her. She begs him to help her or else her boyfriend will die. He tells her she has to have sex with her or else he'll let the boyfriend die. She has sex with him.
Personally, that strikes me as straight forward rape. It's as much rape as the raider who comes into a town, shoots a child in the head and tells the mother if she doesn't have sex with him he'll kill her other children too. The legal definition of rape explicitly covers rape that happens while threatening somebody (for example with a weapon) or threatening others (the "I'll kill X if you don't sleep with me). But there was still discussion because... (IMO, probably because the actor is hot) I guess one could make cases for forced sex and non-con, I don't know?
Situation 2 (GH, Rick&Liz): They are married. He is lying to her, but she doesn't know that. So from her perspective they are happily married, love each other and have sex regularly. He slips her birthcontrol pills. She has a bad reaction to them. They have sex and I think she passes out after the fact? Something like that. Anyway, huge discussion, was it rape? Was it "just" icky? Was it not rape because they are married and she would have slept with him definitely if she hadn't had that reaction? Is it rape because she didn't consent to being slipped something she didn't know about (though he thought it would be harmless)? Is it normal like any married couple who go somewhere, she gets tipsy and when they come they have sex? And it is never brought up again on the show.
Situation 3 (B&B, Brooke &Ridge &Nick): They are a couple, happy together and all. Maybe quarrelling a bit about her ex, but nothing out of the ordinary to them. She drinks cough sirup. Has a bad reaction to it. He comes home. Isn't aware of it. They have sex. It's never addressed again. Is it rape? Is it "just" icky? Particularly since it's in connection with another storyline that is going on at the same time. About a year earlier Ridge and Brooke got married. An accident happened. He is presumed dead. She has a total freak out/break down. Her ex whom she dumped to be with Ridge holds her through it. They have sex. Two days later Ridge turns up not dead and she reunites with him, not potentially pregnant with her ex's kid. She never calls it rape, but Ridge many months later accuses the ex of taking advantage of Brooke when whe was in emotional distress and not truly herself.
Situation 4 (German soap, Roman &Deniz): They used to be a couple. Then D left R for a girl. Roman pursues him for a while and D rejects him. Then he begins sending mixed messages. He kisses Roman and then insists he loves his girlfriend. A bunch of times. Then D gets high and R and D have sex. Is it icky? Is it normal? Is it kinda exploitative? R sat there when D took the pills and knows that he is high. He knows from a previous event that being high lowers D's inhibitions. He tags along to a party that is at another location and there they have sex. He is also deeply convinced that D is gay and is just denying is sexuality. There are no additional pointers from the writing. No dundundun music to show that what is happening is bad. No sad romantic music to show that it is angsty and tragic. Is it sort of explotative because D was high and R wasn't? Is it just normal non-exciting behavior because so what, people have parties, people get high, people have sex there. Is it understandable because R really loves D and wants him back? Is it actually laudable because he is helping D to no longer deny his sexuality? Is it wrong because we know there is a good chance if R asked D for sex/a relationship at this point while D is sober D would likely turn him down?
I'd atually like it if somebody made a long detailed poll giving potential examples from fics and then let people vote what they would label it, rape, non-con, dub-con, nothing at all, something else... Maybe it would lead to some really interesting results.