Outlander actress Caitriona Balfe defends show’s controversial rape scenes

This actress appeared in a controversial gang rape scene in the last season of Outlander - now she’s explained why it was necessary.

Outlander star Caitriona Balfe has defended the popular show’s controversial rape scene from last season.

The 41-year-old Irish actress’ character Claire Fraser was the victim of a brutal gang rape in the finale of season five, which aired to significant outcry in May 2020.

Speaking to news.com.au ahead of the season 6 premiere of Outlander on Foxtel this Monday, the Belfast actress defended the show’s portrayal of sexual assault, revealing why she felt the scene was necessary.

“I know there was criticism of how brutal it was, and we hear that and we take it, but I think we also show something that is important – and that is a dissociative state which happens to a lot of survivors,” Balfe argued.

“Obviously we’re following a storyline from a book, but if we can do it in a way that’s sensitive and highlights something that maybe isn’t known very well or accepted into the mainstream narrative, then that helps us push forward with awareness and we can hopefully then help people.”

Caitriona Balfe has opened up about the controversy surrounding the Outlander season 5 finale. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Balfe expressed she “didn’t want to exaggerate” what a TV show was capable of doing in terms of widespread change, but stressed the importance of having difficult conversations.

“At the moment we’re seeing – and I can speak from the UK, I’m not sure how it is in Australia – but more and more instances of rapes that are getting prosecuted and the perpetrators getting sent to jail are dropping everywhere,” Balfe added.

“It’s becoming a crisis, and I’m not sure what we do about it … This violence against women that’s happening worldwide.

“What we try and do is not show these things (on TV) for gratuitous plot points, but to be able to highlight something that’s happening in society that needs a conversation … That needs us to do something about it.

“If we can help push that conversation, then I think we’re doing something that’s OK.”

Balfe also stressed the level of planning that went on behind the scenes to shoot her character’s sexual assault in season 5.

“It was a prime example of a very collaborative working process with our writer, director and myself,” she said. “I thought it was very important if we were going to show Claire being attacked, that we all had an input and that it felt respectful and not gratuitous.

“Our director (Jamie Payne) was very clear that he didn’t want to shoot these attackers in any form of looking like they were in power or control. We wanted it to stay with Claire throughout her whole journey.”

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Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan both return as Claire and Jamie Fraser for season 6. Picture: Foxtel

Season 6 will pick up where it left off for Claire, as the show delves into her struggles following her ordeal.

“Even before we filmed it, we had already started the conversations about how important it was to see the recovery and the fallout,” Balfe told Radio Times.

“I’m so grateful that our writers were prepared to give a lot of airtime to that.

“I also think it’s important that we see a character like Claire, who often gets this moniker of being a ’strong female’, that whether you appear to be strong on the outside, something like this will really shake you to your core.

“For Claire, who’s always been able to compartmentalise and move on from traumas before, we see her experience PTSD and make some missteps along her journey of recovery.”

Outlander season 6 premieres on Foxtel on Monday