The latest storyline of Emmerdale involving Charity Dingle has got the soap fans talking. Besides, it has also resonated deeply with one survivor, who says watching the show tackle female-on-female sexual assault brought back memories of her own childhood experience.
Laura Purll believes Charity’s story is long overdue because it shines a light on a form of abuse that is rarely shown on mainstream television. Dive in for more details.
Why Charity Dingle’s Story Hit Close To Home
Laura Purll says she did not fully understand what had happened to her until years later. During a conversation with friends about violence against women and girls, she mentioned an incident from her childhood. She tried to make light of it with humour, but the discussion quickly became serious.
While some friends supported her, one person dismissed her experience by saying, “It’s neither. A woman can’t sexually assault another woman. You’re minimising real victims.”
Purll says that comment reflected a belief she had heard throughout her life. She argues that if two women can have consensual sex, then a woman can also sexually assault another woman, even though society has often failed to recognise that reality.
She says the conversation forced her to confront something she had buried for years. What she had always brushed aside as a joke was, in fact, childhood sexual assault.
Laura Purll Opens Up About Her Childhood Trauma
Purll recalls being 13 years old in March 2000 when she was grieving the loss of her grandfather while also beginning to realise she was gay. She describes the girl who assaulted her as the “Regina George” of their school, someone who was popular, intimidating, and aware of the influence she had over others.
She says the first assault happened inside a stationery cupboard at school. What began as confusing flirtation soon became threatening when the girl pinned her against a wall. Later, she says the same girl touched her under a classroom table without her consent.
Purll remembers staring at the brick wall, listening to a fly buzzing overhead and hearing chairs scrape in the next classroom. She says she never agreed to what happened but stayed silent because she did not want to attract attention. Afterwards, the girl allegedly taunted her by saying, “Is this what you want? Is this what you are? You do know I’m joking, don’t you?”.
Purll says she felt confused, embarrassed, and physically uncomfortable afterwards. Although her mother eventually accepted her after she came out as gay, she kept the assault secret for years. Looking back, she believes the trauma affected her relationships, her ability to trust people, and her confidence. She says therapy has taken years to help her understand those lasting effects.
Why She Believes The Emmerdale Storyline Was Long Overdue
Years later, Purll discovered that the woman she says assaulted her had moved near her parents and was working for a rape support organisation. She says the discovery first made her laugh in disbelief before leaving her angry. Around the same time, she also encountered people connected to the woman’s best friend.
When Purll finally told her mother what had happened, her mother replied, “I would have called the police. I would have told the school. Why didn’t you tell me?” Purll says she never believed anyone would have taken her seriously because Section 28 was in force at the time, the law did not recognise rape between women, and she had not yet come out to her family.
Searching for stories like her own, Purll found very little research or public discussion about female-on-female sexual assault. That changed when Emmerdale explored the issue through Charity Dingle’s storyline with Caitlin Todd. Purll writes, “I cannot overstate how much that meant.”
Although she believes the storyline is an important step, Purll says much more needs to change. For her, Charity’s story is more than just a soap plot. It has started conversations that have been missing for years and reminded survivors that they are not alone. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Emmerdale spoilers and behind-the-scenes updates.