Ofcom rejects hundreds of complaints about ‘violent’ anti-gay attack on Emmerdale
Ofcom has rejected hundreds of complaints about a violent homophobic assault on ITV soap Emmerdale.
The episode, which aired on March 6, saw gay prisoner Aaron Dingle subjected to a violent assault.
While behind bars, the character was set upon by homophobic bully Jason, who hurled insults as he assaulted him.
Hundreds of complaints were filed over the scenes, which aired before the watershed.
But today, broadcast watchdog Ofcom rejected 268 complaints about the incident, finding that it did not breach the code.
An ITV spokesperson told Digital Spy previously: “The threat of violence towards Aaron Dingle was signposted both before and during [the] episode, which included a pre-transmission warning of scenes some viewers might find upsetting.
“The issue of violence in prisons is a real and highly topical one, and many viewers have praised the storyline for highlighting the homophobia some people face within the criminal justice system.
“The actual violence shown towards Aaron was however carefully judged and suitably limited, given the scheduling of the programme.”
Stonewall said: “Gay men experience homophobia in many different parts of their lives, whether at work, in school or in their local communities, and it’s great to see Emmerdale tackling the abuse that lesbian, gay, bi and trans people continue to face.
“It’s vital that all prison staff are trained in how to prevent and tackle anti-LGBT behaviour, and that all public institutions take pride in promoting diversity and inclusion.”
