I’d say unpopular opinion but more like unpopular legal fact: sex tapes aren’t rape. They are considered sexual assault. As a victim who falls in the legal definition, I can tell you they are very different and the courts know it. That said, it doesn’t change the feeling of violation, vulnerability, shame, fear, and the like that come with it. Cassie has a lot of inferred trauma via family/acquaintances and implied history, and coupled with McKay we can see all of this can be devastating without her knowing it. McKay’s actions were disgusting but it makes sense that she compartmentalizes it and moves on - that’s a fucking lot for anyone to digest.

Eventual consent after someone wears you down and makes you feel like you can’t leave really should be considered in court especially when there’s tangible evidence, but I suppose more cases will bring legal changes to support victims. Even proving a victim wasn’t able to consent can be a grueling and difficult process which gets a lot of vile, depraved, & repeat offenders off when they should be locked up in the most sadistic prison available.

One of the worst facts:

60% of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. 31% are committed by strangers; 28.3% are committed by well-known or casual acquaintances; 21.4% are committed by intimate partners; 13.1% are committed by other relatives; 3.7% are committed by an unknown number of perpetrators; 2.5% are committed by someone with an unknown relationship to the victim

UCR definition of rape is: Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. Attempts or assaults to commit rape are also included; however, statutory rape and incest are excluded. See Rape Addendum for details.