Days: Friday, December 29th

[Mason]

I think of it more as blackmail than rape (although very close to being rape).

[Pest Spray]

Are you kidding? EJ didn't rape Sami?

So did Sami not rape Austin in 1995? I mean, she drugged his drink, but he chose to drink it right, so I guess it wasen't rape. Marlena chose to befriend Kellam a year before the rape, she chose to work for him during the campaign, so I guess that wasen't rape either. It's like saying it's not molestation because a child chooses to interract with the adult beforehand. That's bullshit. It doesn't matter whether she had a choice between that and letting Lucas die. She did not want to do it, he forced her hand. It's rape.

"Labeling it" is what drives the storyline IMO. It's hard to choose what to do with the storyline if they don't know whether to have Sami say EJ forced himself on her or if she did it willingly. If they say she did it willingly, then Lucas will be pissed. If they say she was raped, that brings a whole new level to it (and IMO the most heartbreaking and interesting one).

[Mason]

Well, it depends on what sense of the word "rape" you mean.

If we're talking physically, then no, E.J. didn't rape Sami. Technically speaking, and from Sami's p.o.v., maybe he did. But E.J. did not even verbally threaten to harm Sami if she didn't agree to sex with him.

So again, it all depends on your definition of rape, because even though she didn't want to, Sami was in no physical danger if she didn't consent to having sex with E.J.

[R!ck]

Last episode of 2006 so Alison Sweeney could submit this episode for the Emmy's

If there's any justice she'll get a nod. *Crosses fingers*

[DaysFanJean]

I think it's worthy. Her best work I've seen, so hopefully she will.

[DaysFanJean]

Do a Google on rape and see the various descriptions. I choose to believe when a man has a gun on a woman, dragging it across her face and on her body, sneering and making vulgar and salacious remarks and telling her outrageous things, well, that is even worse than rape of some types in my opinion. It was torture, threats, and clearly no escape for Sami if she said no which she would have except for Lucas being injured and needing help.

[darraholic]

ITA. Just because Sami let him doesn't mean it wasn't rape. EJ clearly was waving a gun around.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Please, that's the Gloria Allred definition of rape. Anyone can call anything rape if they try hard enough. But remember: Sami had no reason to trust that EJ -- a DiMera and attempted murderer and general bad guy -- would actually help Lucas. The ball was in her court, and for whatever reason, she trusted that he would help Lucas. It was her choice to have sex. He convinced her by promising to save Lucas' life, but he did not rape her.

[Chanel]

Sex under duress/coercion is rape. This is a fact.

EJ had a gun and told her Lucas was going to die if she didn't sleep with him, and by the look on Sami face you could tell she was only doing it for Lucas. She was disgusted.

EJ raped Sami, IMO.

[Ponz]

Using any form of coercion to obtain sex is rape. It does not matter if that coercion is physical or mental.

EJ locked her in a car, pulled a gun on her and threatened her life. He then exploited her blind terror over Lucas possibly dying. To suggest that she had any real 'choice' in such a situation is absurd. He knew it was rape. She knew it rape. Moreover, the claim that there was no violence involved is patently untrue. Just a few minutes before the incident, he was holding a gun inches from her face! She was his prisoner in a confined space. Violence clearly played a significant role in the eventual rape.

The notion that rape has to involve physically pinning the victim's arms and legs down is an archaic stereotype. If the perpetrator knows that the victim is not in a position to consent and goes through with the sexual act anyway, that is rape...whatever means that perpetrator uses.

BTW: The official DAYS site at SONY refers to the incident as rape in its daily recap. Sami also refered to it as rape just before it happened. That was clearly how the incident was intended to be portrayed.

[daysfan]

What EJ did to her was rape. It doesn't matter whether she wanted to or not, that gun determined it was rape. When he held her a gunpoint, that forced her to have sex with him. I think EJ was doing that to ensure she would have sex with him. He raped her. Simple.

[Nixsoaps]

IMO, these are the same people that said they would stop watching because Steve and Kayla weren't back together as sooon as they came back and being in the spotlight. Truth of the matter is, they say they will stop, but they won't.

One consistent I do see while looking at other boards is the amazing acting from James and Ali.

The "incident" (to remain from labeling this debate) was IMO not shown so that there would eventually be redeeming qualities and so much can come from this for both characters.

It was a horrible situation to put the characters in, but being the biased James Scott fan that I am (yep, I admit it) I still love EJ. But I do know that what Elvis (what I call him when I am pissed) was totally wrong.

[GBB]

I feel like I need to distance myself from JFS on this one. I was not making the argument that it wasn't rape because I buy into the archaic idea that if a woman isn't beaten to a pulp or threatened with death she wasn't raped. I'm fully aware that rape comes in many forms and doesn't always (or even most of the time) involve a frothing stranger. But at its root is the fact that rape involves either the inability to say no (whether because of a perceived threat or another reason) or because the no is simply ignored and/or physically overpowered. I maintained that in my opinion, Sami was aware she had the option to say no but that, given Lucas's chances of survival without EJ's help, it was simply a not a choice she was willing to make. I absolutely understand how others would see it otherwise.

But, and it's a big one, it's since been brought to my attention that Sami herself calls it rape, which pretty much makes my perception of events a moot point.

[Keith]

I think Ponz phrased it perfectly. The man was armed, and had waved the gun as a threat. He warned her if she ever brough a hand to him again, that she would regret it, basically. On top of this, she had the choice of whether to do what EJ wanted to possibly help Lucas, and save his life, or to wait for a rather grim and hopeless someone else coming along. He ronly other glimmer of hope was when she was helping EJ get passed the cops. If she'd tried to turn it around on him then, she knew she'd be dead. On top of that, she referred to it as rape, and she was crying while he touched her. Say what you will about perception, but we know what the intention was.

[MikeGoldy]

It was rape. EJ wanted a DiMera-Brady baby, and did what he had to do to make it happen. What I hope for this story, is there is no "who's the daddy" story. Let EJ be the father, and go from there. And I don't think I can take Lucas and the rest of the Bradys screaming at Sami when this

is revealed, especially Lucas. If he doesn't believe her, and tells her she is no good, and can't be trusted, his mother was right...yadda, yadda, yadda; i can never root for them as a couple again.