‘Coronation Street’ actor Chris Harper has spoken out about the need for “one-to-one support” for victims of child grooming, as his character prepares to stand trial for the crimes he committed against Bethany Platt.
The emotional storyline has dominated ‘Corrie’ this year and in the coming weeks, viewers will see Bethany forced to relive her trial when Nathan Curtis is in the dock.
Speaking to the Mirror, Chris has emphasised the importance of victim support, reminding fans that many children and teenagers have real-life ordeals similar to Bethany’s.
“For young victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation, achieving justice can mean having to relive their ordeal,” he said. “Just like Bethany, real life victims face going over their abuse time and time again, which can be extremely distressing and lead to them becoming re-traumatised.
Earlier this month, producer Kate Oates named the trial development as one of the five ‘Corrie’ storylines to look out for this Autumn.
Explaining how Bethany will struggle to cope, she said: “It’s a huge deal for a girl of her age and in her position to face not one but several perpetrators of abuse and all their barristers and we still have the issue of Mel to consider.
“She has had her brain well and truly washed by Nathan. She is keen to make sure that Bethany doesn’t get to court.”
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