This story discusses topics including rape and sexual assault.
EastEnders fans have expressed their outrage over upsetting scenes featuring Linda Carter and Dean Wicks.
Recent scenes of the BBC soap saw evil Dean blackmail Linda into keeping her rape a secret after an incident between the pair years ago.
At the time, he was technically acquitted in court over a separate offence, meaning that he faced no consequences for the crime.
After his clash with George Knight, Linda went to Dean saying she would stop speaking out against his abuse if he dropped his charges against George, who is currently serving a suspended sentence.
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However, rather than accepting her terms, harrowing scenes saw Dean threaten Linda into silence instead, saying he would only drop the charges if she lied to her friends and claimed the assault didn't happen.
Fans have been quick to air their anger at the turn of events, branding the storyline "disgusting" and saying show bosses made a "poor choice".
One person on X (formerly Twitter) posted: "This is absolutely disgusting and clearly shows a lack of respect for real-life victims, all in the name of a storyline?? Shame on you EastEnders."
Another added: "This was a very, very poor storyline decision, ruining a good run."
"Bad story tonight. I don’t think it was appropriate at all, especially given the low rates of successful convictions. You could’ve done way better in this space!!" one echoed.
Some users said they were forced to "turn off" the "triggering episode", with many saying the soap had gone "too far" with the storyline.
One person wrote: "Had to turn off, you’ve definitely overstepped the mark with this one, genuinely uncomfortable to watch and a bit of a slap in the face to rape survivors. Can’t see me watching till this is resolved, very disturbing."
Digital Spy has reached out to representatives for EastEnders for comment.
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, who work towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
