‘Game of Thrones’ Accused of Promoting Rape Culture, ‘Torture Pornography’
“This cocktail of pornography and twisted plot lines must be denounced as socially irresponsible,” says National Center for Sexual Exploitation
Joe Otterson | April 25, 2016 @ 9:23 AM
Last Updated: April 26, 2016 @ 10:12 AM
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The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has denounced “Game of Thrones” for its “socially irresponsible” depictions of sexual violence.
“‘Game of Thrones’ has excelled in turning brutal sexual violence into mainstream entertainment,” Dawn Hawkins, the executive director of NCOSE, said at a press conference on Monday. “Since 2011, HBO has relentlessly brought the ambiance of torture pornography into American living rooms through ‘Game of Thrones’ explicit depictions of rape, incest, prostitution, and sexual violence. This cocktail of pornography and twisted plot lines must be denounced as socially irresponsible, especially in an age when American society is struggling to combat the crises of sexual assault and rape culture.”
The NCOSE has also placed “Game of Thrones” on its Dirty Dozen list for 2016, an annual publication that calls out all those the group feels are contributing to rape culture in the United States.
“While the 6th season premiere refrained from explicit sexually violent content due to backlash from the last season’s gratuitous rape scenes, one episode does not constitute a trend–the show runners must consistently work to prove that ‘Game of Thrones’ is no longer dedicated to normalizing sexual violence,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins went on to say cite claims by the cast and creators of the hit HBO series that any depictions of sexual violence are meant to add realism to the show’s historical context. She claimed, however, that the show is “fixated on producing unjustifiably sexually graphic scenes.”
“In stark contrast, films like ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘The Color Purple’ manage to convey the gravity of rape in a plotline without exploiting it in a way that is salacious or dehumanizing,” she said. “‘Game of Thrones,’ however, has consistently crossed the line of decency by grotesquely depicting rape, incest, prostitution, and sexual violence in a manner that turns viewers into vicarious participants. For its incessant themes of sexual violence, ‘Game of Thrones’ would be more aptly named ‘Shame of Thrones.'”
Founded in 1962, the NCOSE is dedicated to opposing pornography by highlighting the links to sex trafficking, violence against women, child abuse, and addiction.
Reps for the show have not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.
'Game of Thrones' 16 Most Memorable Sex Scenes (Photos)
There have been plenty of times when characters got down and dirty during the last six seasons of "Game of Thrones," although it hasn't always been pleasant. Here's your fully safe for work look at some of the most memorable sex scenes in the show, including at least one that involved leeches. (Note: Spoilers ahead!)
Jaime & Cersei: Season 1, Ep. 1
This scene set the tone for much of the show when the twins were caught committing incest by Bran Stark. From its setting in abandoned broken tower to its ending with attempted murder, the whole thing is pretty gross.
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Tyrion & Ros: Season 1, Ep. 1
We got introduced to the Imp in memorable fashion during this brothel scene. The lovable sex worker Ros was also a part of the moment, before she went on to bigger and better things in King's Landing.
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Daenerys & Drogo: Season 1, Ep. 2
A key turning point in Daenerys taking control of her situation is when she takes control in bed with Khal Drogo. This scene also marks a turning point in their relationship, from arranged marriage to actual love affair.
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Theon & Ros: Season 1, Ep. 5
Long before he became Reek, Theon snuck the ever-present sex worker Ros into Winterfell for this steamy encounter. The stories that Theon was a pretty great lover were part of what led Ramsay to take his "favorite toy" away from him.
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Renly & Loras: Season 2, Ep. 3
The secret lovers faced some turmoil when they argued over Renly's marriage to Loras' sister, Margaery. But it's clear they care for each other, which makes everything that follows so much harder for Loras to bear.
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Stannis & Melisandre: Season 2, Ep. 2
The blood magic the Red Woman, Melisandre, utilizes often has some gross but sexy requirements. The tryst between her and Stannis is necessary to create a ghostly shadow that murders his brother Renly, adding a whole extra level of creepy.
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Robb & Talisa: Season 2, Ep. 8
Robb Stark's downfall began when he broke his engagement to the daughter of Walder Frey in favor of Volantis-born nurse, Talisa. The pair's love isn't enough to save them from betrayal at the Red Wedding, unfortunately.
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Podrick and various sex workers: Season 3, Ep. 3
Podrick proved to be quite the ladies' man when several sex workers refused to take his money -- apparently because he was so good in bed. Bronn and Tyrion demanded details but whatever tips Pod had, they were revealed offscreen.
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Jon & Ygritte: Season 3, Ep. 5
The tender moment in the cave, in which Jon Snow breaks his vows to the Night's Watch, shows real feelings between Jon and Ygritte, despite him being a Crow and her being a Wildling. This is the one moment of happiness the two share before their different worlds tear them apart, with tragic consequences.
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Theon, Myranda & Violet: Season 3, Ep. 7
In this torturous scene, Myranda, Ramsay Bolton's girlfriend, and a second woman, Violet, come to Theon in the torture chamber. He has just enough time to feel like a person again, and for the scene to get hot, before the horrible truth is revealed about Ramsay's plans for Theon.
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Melisandre & Gendry (and leeches): Season 3, Ep. 8
More sexy blood magic times with Melisandre, this time with her seducing the bastard son of Robert Baratheon, Gendry. After the act, she puts leeches on him -- the King's Blood they suck out of Gendry allows Melisandre to see the future. Creepy though that may be, it wasn't a wholly bad deal for Gendry.
HBO
Oberyn & Ellaria: Season 4, Ep. 1
Oberyn and Ellaria not only had each other but several other women and men at the same time at Littlefinger's brothel. The Dornish have fewer hangups than the rest of Westeros, that's for sure.
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Daario & Daenerys: Season 4, Ep. 7
Daenerys took her first lover since Drogo when she slept with sexy sellsword Daario Naharis. The pair had something of a relationship from then on, but Daenerys broke it off when she sailed for Westeros -- and was surprised that doing so didn't really bother her.
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Ramsay & Myranda: Season 5, Ep. 5
Ramsay was creepy enough on his own. But then you add in Myranda, his girlfriend and the daughter of his kennelmaster. Myranda's just as sick as Ramsay when it comes to sadism, and their sexy moment oscillates between pleasure and pain pretty easily.
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Missandei & Grey Worm: Season 7, Ep. 2
The tension between Daenerys' former slaves turned trusted advisers has been ramping up for what seems like forever. Finally, Missandei and Grey Worm had their moment together. The Unsullied are famously eunuchs, but Grey Worm and Missandei found ways to be intimate that got around his limitation.
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Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, Season 7, Ep. 7
After teasing romance between Jon and Dany all through the season, it finally happened on the boat from Dragonstone to White Harbor. It wasn't the most ridiculous sex scene of the show, but it was one fans have been waiting for throughout Season 7 -- and for fans who predicted this might happen long ago, years.
TheWrap takes a mostly-clothed, SFW look at some of the steamiest moments from the HBO series across the last seven seasons
There have been plenty of times when characters got down and dirty during the last six seasons of "Game of Thrones," although it hasn't always been pleasant. Here's your fully safe for work look at some of the most memorable sex scenes in the show, including at least one that involved leeches. (Note: Spoilers ahead!)
HBO
