Channel 4’s flagship continuing drama Hollyoaks is to highlight a common but under-recognised form of child sexual abuse, in a storyline focusing on twins Jack Junior (JJ) and Frankie Osborne.
Due to varying factors, sibling sexual abuse (SSA) has been under-reported with campaigners citing a ‘lack of societal awareness’.
A spokesperson for charity SARSAS said: “It remains a hidden, chronically under-estimated and untreated form of child sexual abuse. It continues to be ignored, played down, or denied by parents, professionals, and authorities as harmless or non-threatening childhood sexual experimentation that does not require attention.
“This is despite the known life-time effects of sexual violence and abuse on the health and happiness of survivors.”
Actors Isabelle Smith and Ryan Mulvey joined the soap this year and will be at the centre of the storyline, playing twins Frankie and JJ.
The Osborne and Ashworth families will be involved, with the twins being the children of heritage character Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) and returning character Suzanne Ashworth (Suzanne Hall). They have recently moved into the over-crowded household also living with Darren’s wife Nancy (Jessica Fox) and their children.
Darren was not present in Frankie and JJ’s lives and has only recently reconnected with them both since their arrival in the village earlier this year.
In recent episodes, viewers saw Frankie accuse her paternal grandfather Jack Osborne (Jimmy McKenna) of touching her inappropriately.
The accusation came after the pair shared a dance whilst reminiscing about Jack’s late wife, triggering Frankie into remembering moments of abuse she has previously supressed.
Next week, it will be revealed onscreen that the abuse that Frankie suffered was at the hands of her twin brother, JJ, when they were both younger.
With JJ often labelled the ‘golden boy’ and Frankie the ‘problem child’, the storyline is set to delve into the dynamics of the pair within the family, and how the parents choose to investigate Frankie’s distressing behaviour, as she struggles to deal with the sexual abuse she has experienced.
Hollyoaks Executive Producer, Hannah Cheers said: “Sibling sexual abuse is a subject matter that desperately merits attention and recognition. It’s one of the most infrequently disclosed forms of sexual abuse, yet the statistics are startling. Hollyoaks is shining a light on this issue for the first time in a long-term soap storyline because we need to get this conversation started amongst our multi-generational audience.
Our research, story, script and writing teams have devoted themselves to telling this story truthfully and passionately. Huge thanks goes to SARSAS for their unwavering support in helping us take this on. The performances delivered by our brilliant newcomers Isabelle Smith and Ryan Mulvey are breath-taking. I believe this story will make an impact for years to come and I am proud that Hollyoaks is still breaking new ground almost four decades on. That’s what we’re here for.”
Hollyoaks continues weeknights on E4 at 7pm
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