Im not oppossed to this story at all. With Hogan at least we are somewhat assured it would be done correctly and not for the wrong reasons.

As a viewer, I am open to almost anything Hogan wants to write!

However, DAYS DOES need to be careful, REALLY careful with something like this!

I agree.

Reilly disgusted me to on send with his fascination with glorifying rape; especially when Theresa RAPED Ethan and it was heralded as a seduction. Men are raped every day and the violation is just as real.

If the show goest his route, I hope it is balanced with some levity in the other storylines.

Who would be the victim?

I've been following all of this and just wanted to make one other comment. Someone (don't remember who now) made the comment that Alan would never rape Will because Alan was not gay. Then the last comment about why not a gay storyline - just made me want to make a comment from when I studied rape as part of my Social Work and Psychology classes in college.

For a show to do a male/male rape story effectively and right they need to remember that male on male rape is hardly about sexual attraction. In prison it is more of a need that has to be met, and more about power in most instances. Most of the guys in prison just use it for a sexual outlet, but still find it disgusting for the most part. Also it gives them a sense of power over another individual and establishes them as a leader in a male dominated society. It is also a way to shame another male or an enemy.

Outside of prison it is still much the same way. It is hardly ever about sexual attraction. It is more about power and humiliation. So Alan would not have to be gay to rape Will. At the same time many in the straight community have the idea that if a guy can do that, he has to be gay. But male/male rape is almost always the same as male/female rape and only about domination and power.

I think a male/male rape storyline should be told - if told and written effectively. But it would not be an ongoing story except for the lead up, and the after affects watching the outcome of it all.

A gay storyline should be told too. We need a good one. I think the Luke one on ATWT is proceeding okay. I have some complaints but I think for a teenage coming out story it is being told okay. I would like to see an adult one handled nicely complete with a love affair and all.

Thanks for that backgrounder on the sociology of male-male rapes. That was really interesting, especially the part about male/male rape being about domination and power.

If Days decided to pursue a storyline like this, I would want the story to focus on the domination and power angle. For instance, if the show actually showed the rape scene, I would want the cameras to have a closeup of the faces of the victim and the aggressor--nothing else. I would want to see the emotions of the victim feeling ashamed and emasculated in the facial expressions of the actor. That's why I would only want a good actor to perform the victim role. You could have a nobody day player perform the aggressor part. That wouldn't be a difficult part to play. But the actor who played the victim, would have to be really talented to portray the conflicting emotions of the victim--a cross between trying to fight off the aggressor's advances and maintain his machismo and at the same time portray the shock of being violated and becoming a victim of the rape.

In a previous post I said that only BD could portray these scenes. But I forgot about Billy Warlock. I know that he could do an excellent job with those scenes as well. Too bad Frankie's leaving the show. I would want a character invested in a major storyline with a love interest to get this meaty storyline. So unfortunately, Frankie's out as a victim.

If the new Phillip was a good actor, I wouldn't mind if Phillip became the victim. That would be a good way to provide character motivation for him to turn evil like his dad Victor. He would want to feel all-powerful after feeling emasculated after the rape.

The only reason why Shawn might be an ok victim would be the reaction of Bo when he learned of what happened to his son. Bo is a very masculine character. Would he have problems interacting with his son? Would he want to avoid Shawn? Not want to talk about it? That would be the only interesting angle for me if Shawn was the victim. Well, another interesting angle if Shawn was the victim would be that he would not want to pursue the aggressor. A huge part of Shawn's character is his black and white thinking. He is usually relentless against the person who has slighted him. It would be interesting character development if in this instance if he didn't want to talk about what happened to him; didn't want the police involved etc. He would just want to keep it hidden and have flashbacks. He'd be distant from the people that he was close to, especially Belle. It would be ok if Shawn was the victim, but if there was a choice b/w Shawn and Philip, I'd choose Phillip.....