Emmerdale viewers were delighted when Rhona finally revealed the identity of her rapist to police and Pierce was called in for questioning.
But hope she might finally get justice after her husband brutally attacked her on their wedding day quickly turned to fury when the lawyer was released without charge.
He told the police a pack of lies, first claiming that Rhona was out of it on pain killers and then claiming that she liked him to treat her rough – and he had a sex tape to prove it.
And, while it appeared the police didn’t trust his account they had their hands tied and had to let him go, while they build a case against him.
Now viewers are asking a very important question – and highlighting a flaw in their interrogation.
When Pierce claimed Rhona was so out of it, the detectives pointed out that her toxicology report came back clean.
However, they neglected to catch him out by asking how, if she was out of it, could she have consented to have sex with him.
That would in itself be rape – would it not?
Entertainment Daily reader Lorraine Hylands wrote: “If she high as a kite then she is not able to agree or disagree so it’s rape … this story line is getting too much!”
Laura Hartley pointed out: “The most infuriating part of that episode was where Pierce was saying how off her head she was – ‘high as a kite’, couldn’t string a sentence together… yet the police didn’t think to ask ‘why did you have sex with her then?'”
Pam Williams added: “He changed his story how many times and they still let him go, shocking!”
Other viewers on Twitter were angry that it looked as though Pierce might get away with it.
One tweeted: “This episode didn’t send out a very positive message to rape victims did it? Pierce getting out with no charges brought.”
Another pointed out ‘If y’all let pierce get away with this it’s just furthering the view that there’s no point in reporting rape, don’t do that.”
Actor Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona, has previously commented on the difficulty of balancing the reality – low conviction rates for rape – and presenting a positive message to encourage victims to report sex crimes.
Read more: Emmerdale character telling a giant lie about pregnancy?
“It’s difficult, because people want Pierce to get his comeuppance and I think, as a soap, and going out at the time we go out, we have a responsibility to tell that, but there is a truth in the fact that it doesn’t always end the way you want it to,” she told Metro.
“I don’t think I can talk about stuff we’re shooting at the moment but there’s an element of that happens in something I shot the other day.
“So they are being truthful and I think it’s right to be.
“But the main thing is we don’t want to deter women from reporting situations like this, so it’s a fine line.”
The soap’s boss has assured viewers that Pierce will eventually get his comeuppance – and justice will be served.
Speaking at a press event, he revealed that “Rhona will ultimately see through the course of action she started” and “we will follow the story through the due legal process”.