Trigger warning review thread?
 

I don't know if anyone would find this useful, but I wondered if a thread where people can share warnings of films etc that have scenes/themes of sexual violence might be a good idea? Easier than reading the whole plot on wikipedia to check for triggering content, which slightly ruins the plot, and prevents an unexpected triggering scene putting something of a downer on your enjoyment of a nice evening out at the theatre/cinema!

People could give warnings about films that they've seen recently, and could search the thread or ask if a film/show they're planning to see could be triggering.

I know there is at least one website that is a bit like this, but it's kind of hard to find and I don't think it's particularly up to date with new releases.

So yeah, if I made a thread in Reviews and Recommendations, would people find it useful?

It couldn't hurt :)
Good idea!

Would it just be sexual violence or would it include injury stuff too? I remember some members were taken aback by a film with unexpected injury to the hand that was quite graphic (must have left a lasting impression I don't remember what it was. .)

I think this is a good idea :). I can only think of 3, all of which have been out for a while and one of them has a warning on the dvd that it contains scenes like that. Personally, I don't know why films have stuff like this in/what it adds to the plot but that could just be me!

The ones I'm thinking of are Black Swan, Thirteen (although it is obvious what that film is about) and The Hills have eyes series.

Personally, I think this would be a bit unnecessary. I appreciate where you're coming from Jenna, but on RYL we are frequently being accused of wrapping people up in cotton wool, and I think this would be an example of that.

I think that generally a film advert or a quick synopsis or even a review would serve as fair warning, and that a thread is not necessary. It also opens a whole can of worms in relation to what people do and don't find triggering.

For example, if violence is triggering for you, then obviously you'd avoid Fight Club, but what about, say, Shaun of the Dead that's got some violence (admittedly against zombies) but is primarily a comedy. I don't mean to belittle how people feel, but I hope you get my point.

In my head (bearing in mind I've been on RYL far too long) I'm sure we used to have something similar, or it was suggested and it didn't really take off.

Long story short, I just think it's a bit too much, and I don't think that it would actually help people in the long run.

Aimee, I figured any kind of trigger could be included, and Carmen, a google doc is a great idea!

I do see your point Claire, but just from having seen J after we've had to leave something that we weren't expecting to have a graphic rape scene in, in my mind it's worth all the time I now spend before we go to see something, checking it's not going to ruin her evening. For example, Gone Girl didn't strike me as something with a rape theme, as the trailer implied only physical violence, but luckily I checked with someone who saw it, and now we have a vague idea of the extent of the rape content, we can make an informed decision on whether it's going to be too triggering or not. I think there's a difference between bubble-wrapping members from all mention of things that could potentially be triggering, and helping someone avoid a graphic rape scene that will trigger PTSD symptoms.

However, as I said, I get your point, and I'm only really seeing it from my/J's perspective, so am happy to accept that in general it could be seen as an being over-protective of members and it wouldn't necessarily be a beneficial tool overall

Jenna, I don't know if this is something you'd find helpful or not, but I'm guessing films with that sort of stuff in them would be rated at least 15, or if not, 18? This is something you might do already, but you could read a review/etc on all the films you want to go and see with that certificate (obviously, it would be obvious things like comedies would be "safe") but for things that have a darker theme? Like I said, I don't know if you'd find this helpful or not or if its indeed practical but just thought I'd put it out there just incase.

I see them as different, I think bubble wrapping would be if we enforced the same rule of safety to everyone that squashed an aspect of expression. This would just be a list so that those interested could read and it doesn't really affect those that don't.

In terms of sexual assault witnessing it, even on screen can be very difficult. Maybe if it was specific to assault to could live in the Abuse and Bullying forum (but yes, more appropriate overall in Reviews and Rec.).

I do appreciate the difficulties that people have, and obviously I wouldn't want anyone to experience PTSD symptoms or to have a lovely evening spoiled, but I'm just trying to anticipate how a thread, started with the best of intentions could end up. As I said, different people find different things difficult and it could be hard to draw a line as to what is and isn't triggering.

Also, and at risk of completely contradicting my first point, it could also be used by people to find triggering content and be misused. It would be a fine balancing act.

I've said before, and I'll say again I find the concept of triggering very difficult, because I don't find that I get triggered by specific things, even when I was very poorly I found that it was more internal to me, than by what I saw/heard. Given what I do for a job, I also tend to find things more frustrating/annoying than triggering.

I hope this all makes sense, I'm having a super busy few weeks and my ability to be clear has got lost along the way.

I don't think the idea in and of itself is a bad one, I'm just not sure RYL is the place for it.

Completely agree. Also about your later point of people using it deliberately to find upsetting content.

Surely if people are concerned about being triggered they need to take the personal responsibility of researching the media beforehand? It also seems to me that it would be far better to develop coping mechanisms for dealing with such triggers (which are everywhere), rather than trying to hide away from it and end up worse if it comes unexpectedly.

Edit: In a somewhat related tangent, I thought the main support boards had removed trigger warnings on threads, as it is somewhat expected? Are these creeping back again? Seem to see these more often now.

I can do that, yes, it just means I have to find out the whole plot before I see it, which makes it a bit less fun to watch- it's better if I can just find out if there's any particularly triggering scenes.

This is definitely a good point, and I did wonder about that.

I do see your point, but surely there's a difference between someone being triggered by the colour red or something (which cannot really be avoided), and someone with PTSD from a sexual assault preferring not to see graphic rape scenes on a massive screen (which can easily be avoided)?

I appreciate the concerns raised here though, and see how it probably would create some problems to have such a thread.

I agree with this too.

I also think that if you are concerned about a films content it is easy to find out that information for yourself as its usually stated somewhere. (Agree with The One Who about personal responsibility)

I'm not sure whether it isn't enforced anymore but I know that a while ago people were stopped from making threads about tv shows that contained a lot of violent scenes etc as there was concern that members were deliberately compiling lists of things to trigger themselves.

Knowing that what you see in cinema's could be really dodgy I think if a person has PTSD/ trauma related problems they need to go and find out if the film is suitable for them or ask someone, rather than a community making sure it trigger labels the right films. My main concern with labeling is that people will get it wrong. Some people will think its worthy of a trigger warning and some wont, and that itself will cause problems.

But that's what I meant! A thread where people can ask 'did this film have a load of graphic sexual violence?'.

Also I agree with everything Carmen says. I feel like there's probably more people who choose to trigger themselves from the threads of ED, SH songs etc, than there would be of people who purposefully cause themselves to have flashbacks by watching films that contain rape.

Out of interest, can you recommend anywhere to look? I find that often things just say 'contains scenes of a sexual nature' but that a) is pretty much every film ever and b) 98% of the time is consensual sex which is not so much of a problem

I do appreciate that this idea is not going to happen, so just asking for some alternatives really.

I guess I was presuming there was going to be some sort of formal guide, when really a fluid discussion is much better, and that thread can surely take off now without much approval.

Surely there are ways people can say it was graphic of torture and rape, or it just had references and didnt upset me, or there was lots of demeaning talk rather than anything overtly graphic. It doesnt have to decend into a thread that would in itself trigger people as much as the film could.

I think its an American based site run by a group of parents *I think* and they write out anything that could be inappropriate for people under the age of 18 so a lot of it comes under the same sort of thing that could be triggering. Will have a look for the link for you.

I understand the idea of people taking personal responsibility and finding out for themselves, but how is using a website to find that information out any different (or more personally responsible) than using a thread here?

If this thread had been made I can't imagine the mods would have removed it as it wouldn't to my mind have broken any rules

I don't see a need for this but then I can sit through most things! Mind you once or twice with work I've seen a film and sat cringing hoping that the services users I'm with we're okay!

Surely there is a difference between triggering and upsetting? But who is to say what that is? And although you could blanket certain topics as being "triggering", different medium handle them in different ways.

Most films that have this sort of content will have it mentioned in the reviews. Otherwise you might have to weight up between having the plot spoiled and being informed as to the content.