When I started o this series, I wasn't expecting rape to figure so prominently in the story. The theme can be a little heavy, but, interestingly, it has not been excessively so. Three different main characters experience rape in the series, and their individual experiences are all different.

Lookkaew is raped by a guy she is seeing when she is too drunk to resist. Som, who broadcasts erotic performances live, is raped by someone offering her money purely for a meal. Nhao is raped by two guys he meets at a bar.

The reason rape happens so often in a series with merely thirteen episodes is not directly explained (thankfully), and it's up to us to realize that every victim is different and yet rape is rape and their experiences similar in some ways too. This sounds like a ridiculously obvious thing to say, but perhaps people just do not get it that rape can be a wide-ranging experience but no matter what, it is traumatic. The case of Lookkaew shows us that a person can be raped by a good-looking and attractive guy who does not seek consent. With Som, we see that a woman who is willing to strip on camera for money is not necessarily willing to have sex with someone for money, and boundaries have to be respected regardless of what she is doing. With Nhao, we see how men can also be victims of rape. There is a different point to make for each of the three victims, but they also show how traumatic the experience can be.

The bigger point the series is making, however, that the judgement of others in society is almost like a continued rape for the victims. A revealing photo and video of Lookkaew is leaked, causing people to make derogatory comments about her without knowing that she has been raped. But even after it is made public, people question her intentions and wonder if she is seeking attention. Som refuses to even say that she has been raped, knowing that if she makes the claim, she will be criticized for being stupid enough to walk into a trap. She claims that the sex video of her being gang-raped is merely an act and bears with the judgement (which she has been getting for her erotic broadcasts). Nhao's identity is not revealed publicly, but he is no less traumatized because his parents judge him for being gay--to his father, it obviously matter less that he has been raped than that he is gay and has gone to a gay bar.

Nhao's case is particularly painful because he commits suicide, and though he does not tell anyone why he kills himself, we see flashbacks to all the comments that his parents have made about how being gay is abnormal as he commits suicide. Even if he may be able to eventually cope with having been raped, he is unable to deal with the homophobia of his parents.

It is quite amazing how much the series has managed to do within thirteen episodes. Apart from dealing with rape, misogyny and homophobia, it also comments on how the very institutions that are supposed to stand up for the victims may try to protect their reputations and even punish the victims. And then, even if redress is given, the victims' victimhood may be exploited by others for their own benefits. Lookkaew's school, for example, punishes her with probation and tries to stall the case after she reports having been raped--because the perpetrator, another student, is the son of an influential figure.

The series also deals with the issue of how leaked pictures and videos can be circulated on social media, causing the victims to be further victimized by the judgement of others and be subject to further harassment. And then there is also an exploration of victimhood: it can be a double-edged sword to speak up against one's victimization: it is necessary when one seeks redress, and yet it can also consign one to perpetual victimhood and cause one's identity to be reduced to one's victimization.

A potentially controversial aspect of the series is the portrayal of Lookkaew's rapist, Aud. It is a surprisingly nuanced portrayal. He can be quite an asshole, but he is also young and not brought up to be a responsible person. The series makes it clear that this does not make his actions excusable, and he himself realizes his mistake and decides to confess and face the music. I think the scriptwriters took a risk with this character because the sympathetic portrayal of a perpetrator of rape can be appalling if it is not handled well. It seems to have been worth taking the risk, though, for the character shows how important upbringing and education are when it comes understanding the notion of consent. (One may, of course, still be incredulous that he doesn't realize the gravity of his actions despite being grown up enough to be in the university, but maybe there is something about how easy it is for non-consensual sex to be normalized.)

It is unfortunate that none of the other perpetrators of rape are brought to justice despite their heinous actions. Perhaps that's the reality--a lot of times, the victims are left to suffer and cope while to criminals get away. Nevertheless, Aud seems to get away a little too easily. The university decides to suspend him for what he has done, and he himself feels that the punishment is too light and protests against it by leaving the university. But he is also a wealthy person and he tells his friends about going overseas. While he is genuinely remorseful, his act of raping Lookaew doesn't haunt him the way it continues haunting Lookkaew (as someone starts claiming that she has spoken up about the rape for attention). Because of this, the final episode isn't entirely satisfactory.

Still, the series comes across as a well-meaning and nuanced exploration of important issues like rape and the (lack of?) recourse victims has, It does this while telling a solid story, which is commendable. At first I was wondering if the subplot of Nhao and his boyfriend would merely end up being a barely related side story (as is sometimes the case with Thai series I have watched), but it ends up intersecting with the main plot rather well.