Hmmm.

[vr_trakowski]

If you read Löyli, would you be willing to give me an opinion on a possibly touchy issue? 


It has been brought to my attention that the scenario I created in Löyli could be considered sexual assault. 

I am not in possession of details, so I'm not sure to which part the objection refers--Tony hugging Pepper during their argument, or the encounter afterwards.  It could be both, I suppose, though I thought I was making it clear that Pepper was entirely willing for at least the latter part. 

In my head, Tony's hug, while unwelcome, isn't sexual in nature; it's a product of his epiphany, and he doesn't let her go at first because he's too caught up in that to pay attention to her anger.  But I may not have made that clear enough.  It could also be that some definitions of sexual assault are more stringent than mine. 

Opinions?  I'd really like to know what you think; you are, after all, the people for whom these stories are written.  Did I go too far?  Did I break character?  Am I doing the characters, or the fandom, a disservice? 

Thank you. 

ETA: Wow.  I wasn't anticipating quite this response, but I'm glad to see it!  Thank you all for your honesty, and for your courtesy.  And if you came from somewhere outside the fandom, welcome, feel free to join in. 

I fully intend to respond to the new replies, but if I don't get some sleep I'm going to start hallucinating, so I'll be back tomorrow.  Please, carry on meanwhile if you are so moved; just stay courteous. 

Comments

Part IV

[amonitrate.livejournal.com]

Here's the heart of the matter. I went into detail on what led up to this part because I think the first half of the story both influences how this half reads, and also gains meaning that it wouldn't otherwise have from what happens next.


We switch back to Pepper's POV. She's aware of his arousal, even pleased by her effect on him, but she's too angry to be interested in acting on it.

Tony accuses her of being jealous. Perhaps she is. Whether or not she is, to me, is completely irrelevant to what follows:

He started to laugh, the crazy peal that made him sound utterly insane. Shard-sharp hurt mixed with her anger, and Pepper stood, not sure whether she was going to hit Tony or the wall, but before she could decide she was enveloped in a bruising embrace. He was damp with sweat, but then so was she, and Pepper stood stunned for an instant before she braced her hands on his shoulders and shoved.

It had absolutely no effect; her palms skidded off his slick skin. Tony was still laughing; she was squeezed full-length against him, and yes indeed, there was no hiding his arousal. It pressed into her stomach almost as hard as his arc implant pressed into her chest.

So far, Pepper has not made one sexually charged move towards him. She's admitted her own attraction to herself (not to Tony, this is key) and decided against acting on it. Tony, on the other hand, had considered pinning her down and finishing the argument his way, not at all taking her wishes into account.

Here's the key words in this passage that raised the red flags for me, starting to change the tone of the encounter into something more sinister than an argument:

"crazy peal"
"utterly insane"
"before she could decide"
"bruising embrace"
"stunned"
"shoved"
"no effect"

So. This is what I believe people in the discussion are calling a hug. In no way did I interpret this passage as anything near a hug. We've got Tony grabbing her in a "bruising embrace" out of no where, in the middle of an argument where they're both angry. Pepper tries to shove him off. Which has "absolutely no effect." She's "squeezed full length against him" and she can feel his erection. His arc reactor is pressed into her chest.

Pepper's helplessness in the encounter is emphasized at first. His ability to physically overpower her:

“Tony--” Pepper struggled, furious and almost panicked by his hard hug. She wasn't quite angry enough to bring up a knee, but she was starting to consider biting him. The musky smell of him, warm and male, was winding into her lungs and making her dizzy.

“No, no.” His laughter-laced voice came from behind her right ear; his hair was soft against her cheek, and Pepper felt her muscles weaken, though she didn't stop twisting. “We are so fucked up.”

“Let go of me!” Pepper grabbed a handful of hair and yanked, and he yelped.

The embrace loosened enough for her to pull back, but Tony didn't release her. His grin and his eyes were both wide, as shaken as she felt. “Not on your life, Potts.”


Pepper is not expressing any interest in physical contact -- let alone sexual contact -- with Tony here, despite her attraction. In fact, the opposite. She's trying to get away from him.

Here's the key words in this passage:

"struggled"
"furious"
"almost panicked"
"muscles weaken"

Pepper fights his contact. She tells him to let go. She physically hurts him to get him to stop. He doesn't let go, in fact. And he says "Not on your life." All of this reads exactly like a forced sexual encounter. It reads like attempted assault, at the very least. It has all the elements: unasked for sexual contact, repeated refusal to back off and let go when asked, the need for physical violence to get the attacking party to back off.

I don't buy that the "hug" was not sexual: given Tony's erection, given the fact that it was hurting Pepper, given his previous thought about pinning her down and having his way with her.

Now, I understand your intent re:his statement about not letting her go was in a metaphorical sense - trying to tell her he didn't fire her, that he wants her in his life. However, as read in the context of the passage, it's more abusive that that. He's not going to let her go, physically, even after she resorts to pulling his hair.