EastEnders aired horrifying scenes in tonight's episode as teenager Amy Mitchell's grooming storyline with newcomer Craig Ingram ramped up, leaving some fans feeling horrified for the character.
Over recent weeks, Amy (Ellie Dadd) and Craig (Matthew James-Bailey) have grown close. The police officer has gradually convinced Amy that he is one of the only people she can turn to for comfort, amid her growing feelings of isolation.
Things intensified after Amy admitted to Craig that she was the one who attacked Joel Marshall (Max Murray), and he put his career on the line to protect her.
Secret dates and wine
When Craig was suspended - which, unbeknownst to Amy, follows complaints from female co-workers - he started taking Amy on secret dates and invited her back to his house for wine. In tonight's episode, Amy, fresh off an argument with her sick stepmother Denise (Diane Parish), took Craig up on his offer. The two began to kiss in front of his bed.
Fans were left feeling disgusted by the scenes and praised EastEnders, as they felt that meant the storyline was well done. "Craig... an important storyline but hard to watch. Poor Amy," one said. Another added: "Craig is disgusting, which means the plot is well done."
A third added that they "nearly threw up after seeing that vile Craig kiss Amy". They continued to say they thought she was "vulnerable" due to the upcoming anniversary of her mother's death.
Working with charities
The BBC previously announced that Amy would be part of a grooming storyline and said they were working with Barnardo's and End Violence Against Women Coalition to ensure the plot was sensitively done.
Ben Wadey, EastEnders Executive Producer, said: "When telling a storyline like Amy's, we have a huge responsibility to highlight and raise awareness of the warning signs of grooming. We're grateful to be working with Barnardo's and End Violence Against Women to help us tell this story."
Lynn Perry, Barnardo's Chief Executive, added: "We welcomed the opportunity to provide expert advice on this storyline - which is a powerful reminder that there is no stereotypical victim or perpetrator of grooming. Young people from all walks of life can be targeted and fall victim to controlling behaviour – and many are often unaware that they are being groomed. We hope this important storyline can highlight how subtle the signs of grooming can be and how it builds over time.
"To any viewers who recognise themselves in this story – who may be currently experiencing abuse or might have in the past - we hope this storyline shows you that the abuse was not your fault and we encourage you to seek support. We appreciate the writing team's professional curiosity and determination to get this story right."
Janaya Walker, Interim Director at End Violence Against Women Coalition, added: "We're proud to have worked with the EastEnders team on this storyline about grooming and police-perpetrated abuse, which has been delivered with sensitivity and care. On-screen portrayals like this have the power to shift attitudes and increase understanding of abuse across society. This storyline will help raise awareness about how those in a position of trust can abuse their power to target women and girls. We hope it can play an important role in making these experiences visible and help victims watching at home to understand that what happened to them was abuse, and to seek support."
