TELEVISION phenomenon Baby Reindeer raked in two Golden Globes last week, winning awards for best limited series and best supporting actress for Jessica Gunning’s portrayal of Martha.
The character is thought to be based on Fiona Harvey who allegedly stalked the show’s Scottish creator, Richard Gadd, during his days as a bartender doing small comedy gigs in London. She is taking legal action over what she calls “brutal lies” in the show.
In his efforts to cope with the lingering effects of his experience, Gadd turned the story into a one-man show at the Fringe before penning the now award-winning TV series.
To showcase such a dark character on screen can be tricky, but when that person is real, and so too their actions, a new can of worms pops open.
Karen Fullerton-Chalmers from Action Against Stalking said: “Issues arise as we have seen in this case, whereby audiences begin to investigate the storyline and now the alleged stalker has had worldwide appearances.
“Victim-survivors must have a safe space to share their experiences but now with scepticism surrounding Gadd’s story and Fiona Harvey suing him and Netflix for its falsities, this update takes away from the key messages in the storyline – raising awareness around stalking and abuse.
“The fact that the show was nominated and won awards is beneficial in raising the profile of stalking, however, that is only effective if the message surrounding it is of support and help for others and does not continue to stereotype stalking rather than highlighting the criminal nature of these behaviours.”
If the representations of stalking within media prove to be more encouraging and sensationalising than educational, the risk of comedians encountering characters like Martha only rise.
However, there is more awareness now around protecting performers.
A spokesperson for performing arts union Equity said: “Being stalked is a distressing and sometimes life-changing situation – however, it is not very common and the majority of Equity members will never be affected.
“For those that are, the union recommends taking action as soon as possible – stalking is a criminal offence. Contact the police, the National Stalking Helpline, and anyone in your life who should be made aware.
“For comedians working in clubs or other venues, we’d advise getting in touch with Equity. With your permission, we’ll ensure the engager is aware that a member of their workforce is potentially at risk and that as many practical steps as possible are taken to ensure safety.”
The shielding does not end with the union, as the spokesperson added: “We would encourage all comedy venues and promotors to sign up to Equity’s Comedian Charter to ensure good working practices and the safety of comedians.
“Points on the charter include ensuring late-night safety, such as providing acts with clear information about public transport options, discussing the arrangement of alternative transport if public transport is not possible, and making sure late-night safety is a factor when scheduling.
“Venues should also make clear to acts and ticket buyers that harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated, and will result in perpetrators being removed, as well as providing a point of contact for any act that experiences harassment or discrimination at the venue.”
As times change and stalking evolves, victims continually struggle to see themselves on screen.
Beyond her work with Action Against Stalking, Fullerton-Chalmers is working towards her PhD by researching the representations of stalking in media and comparing them to the lived experiences of real-world victims.
She noted a struggle to find productions portraying stalking as accurately or honestly as Baby Reindeer, saying: “Participants provided me with examples of films and television that have flawed representations of stalking; the most referenced was the Netflix series YOU, as they felt it sensationalised stalking, that is it is only stalking if he keeps you hostage in a cellar and murders you.
“For stalking to be portrayed accurately and for audiences to understand the seriousness of it, I think there has to be a cultural shift away from the idea that stalking is either out of love, or like a thriller/horror, but rather that it is often seen in every day, non-criminal behaviours like sending hundreds of texts or phone calls or loitering outside someone’s residence or workplace.
“The difficulty with film or television trying to capture the essence of stalking is that it is a psychological crime which is oftentimes internal, so time must be given to allow the storyline to develop, which films especially do not have.
“Including survivors or experts who study and work in the field to be part of the process can assist in giving an accurate reflection of stalking that can be used for awareness raising and eliminating myths/stereotypes.”
