Latest episodes of Bravo Below is the deck down It sparks serious conversations, along with praise for the network, on the topic of sexual assault after two crew members are removed from the boat after misconduct.
Audiences were informed that something serious was going on when the show’s production team was seen stepping in front of the camera during an episode that aired on Monday. Voices from the background were looking to catch the attention of a naked and drunk Luke Jones—the ship’s crew captain this charter season—as he made his way into the room where young stewardess Margot Sisson was sleeping. After an exchange of profanities and a door lock between the producers and Jones, Jones was caught on camera as he climbed Sisson’s bunk, where she was unconscious.
The incident—interfered with by the producers who evicted Jones from Sisson’s room—occurred on one of the staff’s nights off when they went out to restaurants and bars in the town where the ship was docked. While the crew tends to get dirty, Sisson said she got “really drunk” at dinner and took tequila shots with the group. Main host Aisha Scott said she would “escort” Sisson to make sure she was sleeping safely.
“I don’t want any drunkenness to be taken advantage of,” Scott said. “So I’d just like to see you sleep safely.” “I saw the way Luke was looking at you, and I feel so protective.”
Sisson replied, “I’m glad you’re here.” “I want to sleep. All I want is water and a bed, no Luke.”
The inappropriate Jones appeared when Scott left to deal with a lack of energy.
Define the incident as sexual assault
Scott Berkowitz, President and Founder, Inc The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) Yahoo Live says. “It was clearly an attempt to do something illegal, and so we have to be held accountable for that. Let’s just be thankful he was caught before he could do any more damage.”
Although it was the producers who got involved because Jones was in Sisson’s bed, it was Scott who brought the initial awareness of the situation. “You have no right to put an unconscious person in that position,” she later said on camera in an interview. “I’ve had a drunken sexual assault experience before, and I didn’t want it to happen to anyone else.”
It’s an acknowledgment Scott made when she first appeared in the Bravo franchise in Season 4 under the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Berkowitz says it is “not surprising” that she would be “particularly concerned with the risks and danger” of another person in a similar situation. However, the fact that Scott’s awareness eventually brought the situation to a halt is noteworthy.
“We talk a lot about the importance of bystanders being willing to step in and the power people have to reduce the number of sexual assaults by paying close attention to what’s going on around you and making the effort to help before the situation gets really serious,” Berkowitz says. “So the fact that someone made the effort to sexually assault an incapacitated woman is very common. The fact that someone was there to put an end to it is what makes this different and special.”
Why was broadcasting important?
While some viewers have described the content as “sexy” and “disturbing”, Berkowitz maintains that the episodes are just as important.
“I think giving people a really clear view of how sexual assaults happen is really important,” he says. “You can talk about theory, you can talk about it in the abstract for a long time. But seeing it happen in reality is going to resonate and stay with people in a way that abstract discussion can’t.”
The actions of the crew members – in particular Scott and Captain Jason Chambers – and the conversations that took place between them also served as good models for how to handle a situation like this.
“One of the biggest barriers to more survivors coming forward is the belief that they will be blamed or that their friends and family or colleagues will not stand by them. They also often cite the fact that they think nothing of it will happen if they come forward,” Berkowitz says. “It showed that her boss was behind her, that most colleagues were behind her, and they were able to see that quick action that was taken and they believe those who have come forward and reported this bad behaviour, I think it represents really good behaviour. Hopefully it helps encourage others to come forward.” .
What can people learn in the aftermath?
Several crew members and captains have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the episode and how they’ve moved forward in the time it happened.
Notably, Sisson published a thread Appreciation goes to her fellow cast members who helped her get out of the scary situation.
Chambers said video Share Wed.
“Certainly for the victim, healing and recovery is a journey. It’s something that often takes a long time and develops over years,” says Berkowitz. “Ultimately, friends and family will play a very big role in the victim’s recovery. The more support and understanding they have, the better the victim’s coming out.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is available to survivors 24/7 with free, anonymous help. 800,656. HOPE (4673) f online.rainn.org.