BEN Mitchell is picking himself back up after being raped by Lewis Butler.
The EastEnders troublemaker soon plans to get back at his attacker, turning to what he sometimes excels at – vengeful violence.
Any survivor of sexual assault may relate to Ben Mitchell’s harrowing rape storyline.
The character portrayed by Max Bowden was recently attacked after a night out with Prince Albert manager and bartender Lewis Butler (played by Cork actor Aidan O’Callaghan).
Since then, he has become a dishevelled shell of himself as he struggles to come to terms with the reality of his rape.
But once he opens up to his mother Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Ben’s pain makes way for the another stage of trauma recovery – overwhelming anger.
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Next week, Kathy fusses over Ben as he begins to have doubts about reporting Lewis to the police.
Matters are only made worse when he spots Lewis with his husband Callum Highway (Tony Clay) as the pair seem to share a close conversation.
Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) senses Ben’s mood and the latter is fed up of being blamed for what happened with Lewis, thus proceeding to tell Jay all about his rape.
But as they talk about the attack, Jay inadvertently puts doubts in Ben’s mind about going to the police.
When Kathy takes him to the station, Ben changes his mind, worried nobody will believe him.
He then comes up with an idea which could lead to an ill-fated confrontation as he sends a message to Lewis asking to meet him.
Later on, Ben waits for Lewis at The Arches… letting his violent streak make another comeback as he holds a crowbar.
