‘If a person isn’t conscious, they’re not saying yes’: Cynthia Erivo on her searing new film about sexual assault

Cynthia Erivo stars in a film adaptation of *Prima Facie*, playing Tessa, a successful barrister who defends men accused of sexual violence before being raped by a colleague herself. The story shows how the justice system’s demands can weigh on victims and raises questions about how consent is understood.

Erivo hopes the film will prompt discussion among the public and within the legal profession, noting that judges and lawyers have already seen it. She says consent should be clear: someone who is unconscious or unable to say yes has not consented. The article cites Rape Crisis figures that one in four women experience sexual assault, while charges are brought in 2.7% of reported rapes.