It’s unsurprising, then, that only 344 out of every 1,000 cases of sexual assault gets reported to authorities – which means that roughly two thirds of incidents will never be investigated.

There are a multitude of reasons for this, many of which have been detailed on Twitter using the viral #WhyWomenDontReport hashtag. Women fear that they will lose their jobs, that they will be heckled, that they will not be believed. That they will be made to feel “silly” or “overdramatic” for bringing the crime to the attention of police. That if they even react to the perpetrator they will aggravate the situation. That they were drinking, or wearing a short skirt, or out late at night, or should have said something.

That they were, in some way, to blame for what happened to them.

It is for this reason that we need more television shows to address the concept of rape, to open up the narrative around sexual assault, and to remind everyone who thinks otherwise that the only person who is to blame, in any instance of violence, is the attacker. That to suggest otherwise is not only morally reprehensible – it implies doing so is somehow OK, excusable. And that, if a show as focused on scandal and shock-factor as Doctor Foster can take the time to offer a balanced, respectful, and thought-provoking consent storyline, then it’s high-time that everyone else followed suit.

If you would like more information or support, visit Rape Crisis UK – or, alternatively, call 0808 802 9999 (usual opening times are noon–2.30pm and 7–9.30pm any day of the year and also between 3 - 5.30pm on weekdays).

Doctor Foster continues on BBC One next Tuesday at 8pm.

Why that Doctor Foster conversation is so incredibly, incredibly important