Louisa Lytton has been contacted by people who were able to "confirm" they were raped after watching her latest 'EastEnders' storyline kick off.
Louisa Lytton
The 29-year-old star's character Ruby Allen confided in pal Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) about a night out earlier this week, only to seem shocked when the former market trader told her she had been raped by one of the guys she slept with.
And Louisa was "surprised" to be told similar accounts from real-life victims on social media after the episode played out.
She said: "I was quite surprised, I've had loads of people contact me directly on social media just saying, 'This is the closure I've needed for so long, this incident happened to me 10 years ago, I questioned whether it was rape or not this episode has confirmed to me that in fact it was.' "
Louisa was left shocked by the instant reaction to the beginning of Ruby's rape storyline, which is focusing on the subject of consent.
She said: "I was surprised myself actually just how quickly that reaction has happened. That's the whole point of this storyline to hopefully open that conversation for men and women and hopefully educate.
"It is important that it's done right."
And Louisa is "grateful" she has been "trusted" to take on such a big storyline upon her return to the BBC One soap.
Speaking on 'Lorraine', she added: "I got a phone call from [show boss] John Yorke to say, 'We'd love to bring your character back and here's the nature of the story'.
"I was grateful to be trusted with such an important storyline."
The former 'The Bill' star recently admitted the plot will "split the audience".
She said: "Ruby goes on a night out and gets raped in the first few weeks of her return, so I've gone back for quite a massive storyline.
"But initially it's to see her old mate Stacey, who she casually hasn't seen for 12 years and thinks she'll throw a text at.
"It's very important. 'EastEnders' has such a diverse audience. They've just covered the massive knife crime storyline, and this is more of a consent storyline, showing that it's not really a grey area.
"I'm working with Rape Crisis, I'm pretty much in contact with them every day. They oversee every script. They've been brilliant.
"I think it will really split the audience, their views on consent and what happens to her."
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