Dear Netflix, Hulu, and any other streaming service providers who care about their mentally ill/triggered customers,

I, the creator of this petition, am not usually easily triggered by TV, but a few months ago I was severely triggered by the abrupt and especially graphic rape scene in the very first episode of Bates Motel. Having absolutely no knowledge that such a scene existed in the show at all, much less the first episode, I sat frozen on my sofa as the scene unfolded, unable to look away because surely they wouldn't show the whole assault in this much agonizing detail?! But they did and though I still do want to watch Bates Motel because I have heard many good things, I felt so attacked by this scene that I was, and still am, too afraid to continue watching. Though no one could have predicted my 20-minute long panic attack during which time I sat completely frozen as my mind replayed each detail of that scene as my partner tried desperately to comfort me, I feel that a proper warning at the start of the episode would have prepared me for the scene and may have prevented my severe reaction--and further, had I been triggered at least I would have taken that risk on my own rather than be caught completely off guard.

Shows such as Game of Thrones which also depict graphic sexual violence, have a louder internet following and so have a rampant reputation for such scenes which prepared me for their violent content; therefore the rape scenes, while brutal and uncomfortable for me as a viewer, were watchable because I had prior warning of their inclusion in the content so I always had the ability to check-in with myself and determine that if I was not in a good headspace to chance watching something like that, then I should probably wait until I was more prepared. Though I do argue that HBO and similar premium networks such as Showtime and Starz should also include these trigger warnings, I am specifically asking for Netflix and Hulu to take this into consideration to lead the way for such changes to the streaming experience. Netflix and Hulu upload less widely-discussed shows than those like Game of Thrones or Shameless and so viewers of Netflix or Hulu are even more at risk of being triggered either by original programming (such as the multiple rape scenes I was unprepared for in Netflix's original series Orange is the New Black), or also older, less talked about shows that do not have proper warnings for potentially triggering material such as Bates Motel.

Therefore, we the undersigned ask for trigger warnings at the start of relevant episodes of TV shows as well as films on streaming services in order to prevent accidentally triggering unsuspecting/unprepared viewers.

Such trigger warnings as:

• Graphic depictions of rape
• Implied rape
• Graphic depictions of domestic violence
• Graphic depictions of suicidal acts/suicide
• Graphic depictions of self harm
• Blood
• Epilepsy warnings

and any other warnings recommended by mental health professionals should be properly labelled at the beginning of relevant episodes and films in order to give viewers the opportunity to a. Prepare for potentially triggering material and b. Decide for themselves whether or not to chance watching triggering material. A series like Orange is the New Black for example does not need warnings of graphic depictions of rape for each episode because not each episode contains a graphic rape scene. The relevant episode(s), however, should provide a proper warning for that content so viewers who are sensitive to that content may make the choice of whether or not to chance a negative response. Shameless US, another show provided by Netflix but in this case originally aired on Showtime, also has a number of graphic rape scenes and a graphic suicide attempt which could be triggering to an unprepared viewer. Not each episode contains this content, but for those episodes, having the proper warning would give the viewer the opportunity to prepare for such material should they choose to watch anyway. 

This request is in no way an attempt to censor or limit the creative freedom of showrunners or screenwriters who do reserve the right to include such material should they choose to; this is, however, an attempt to advocate for viewers' right to make informed choices of what to stream without either risking getting triggered without former warning or doing intense research on each program in order to avoid being triggered. For the convenience of viewers who do not have triggers, perhaps this feature could be optional in the settings; but even if it isn't, adding a feature like this would be helpful to all streamers: those who are triggered by multiple things and so walk a fine line of spoiling everything they watch to avoid triggering content or being blindsided by triggering material, and streamers like me who are rarely triggered but when we are it is when we are unprepared for content that we may not have even realized would be triggering.

Please install a feature on your streaming service which would warn your viewers of potentially triggering material so we can be better prepared  and may prevent panic attacks or similar genuinely emotionally damaging experiences.

Best,

TV and film enthusiasts