Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer) has been suffering at the hands of husband Gray (Toby-Alexander Smith) for quite some time in EastEnders, but the story is set to culminate in tragedy, when she’s killed by her abuser.
Since the BBC One soap returned to screens on Monday (September 7), viewers have seen Chantelle attempting to set in motion a divorce.
However, she decided to speed the process up when — in Tuesday’s episode (September 8) — Gray forced her to hold her breath under water for over two minutes.
Realising that she needs to get out of No.1 Albert Square and away from the controlling bully as quickly as possible, she began organising an escape plan.
As a result, she calls a women’s refuge. Speaking about the character’s decision to contact the refuge as opposed to telling her family what’s been happening, actress Jessica Plummer said: ‘Chantelle’s parents have a relationship with her husband, so for her to tell her parents is to potentially not escape.
‘Gray is clever, he’s smart and he’s not going to let her just walk out of the door. I think it’s easier for her to just run.’
As noted earlier, Chantelle will tragically die as a result of Gray’s abuse, and the aim of the story is to highlight the harsh reality of what goes on behind closed doors, and to reflect how situations like that of Chantelle’s can and often do end in tragedy.
On the importance of the story, Jessica said: ‘Soaps are part of people’s everyday lives and they show things that are reality for a lot of people.
‘What’s different about Chantelle and Gray’s relationship in comparison to Little Mo and Trevor and other examples that have been portrayed, is that she holds herself with such high regard, she doesn’t cower and she stands up for herself.
‘I don’t think Chantelle even realises how bad it is at the start. She thinks “well my life is perfect it’s just that one small little thing if I could just figure out, everything would be absolutely fine!”.
EastEnders domestic violence - get support
Two thirds of women who were experiencing abuse from their partner/ex-partner in June told a Women's Aid study that their abuser had started using lockdown restrictions or the Covid-19 virus and its consequences as part of the abuse. (66.7% of those answering question - Women’s Aid Survivor Survey, June 2020).
At the height of lockdown over three quarters of women living with an abuser said they felt they could not leave or get away because of the pandemic. (78.6% of those answering question - Women’s Aid Survivor Survey, April 2020).
You can get support and information from Women's Aid by visiting the website or contacting the free instant messaging service.
You can get support and information from Refuge - which holds a comprehensive and detailed guide to seeking help on the website.
‘It’s important to show that this is still domestic abuse even though it doesn’t look like the typical cowering in a corner, locked in a room versions.
‘To the outside world Gray is charismatic, he’s charming, he’s successful – he’s perhaps not the typical person that is portrayed in domestic abuse storylines.
‘we worked with Woman’s Aid and Refuge, I’ve had a few meetings with them. I’ve stayed in touch with one of the ladies who came to the first meeting who was a survivor of domestic abuse and we’ve stayed in contact.
‘It’s crazy because she’s my biggest fan but I’m her biggest fan! She’s lovely and when we sat down initially and she spoke about different ways the abuse can happen, it’s not always a monster and a meek mouse – that’s hardly ever the case.
‘Learning about the statistics was shocking, the fact that a lot of women feel scared to go to the police in case no one believes them is why a lot of women don’t say anything and prefer to run rather than speak up. ‘
One to watch: Friday September 18 at 8:30pm on BBC One.
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