Aimee Gibbs’ storyline in Sex Education depicts the profound effects of trauma and recovery.
Sex Education (2019) is a British TV series following the lives of teenagers as they navigate social relationships and sexual experiences, including lots of challenges and problems. Aimee Gibbs is one of the main characters. At the beginning of the series, Aimee is a popular and high-spirited character who enjoys dating and sex.
However, in season 2, Aimee experiences a traumatic incident when she is sexually assaulted on the bus to school. While she brushes off the experience initially, the audience gradually witnesses the different ways in which the incident impacted her. She avoids getting on the bus, experiences intrusive images of the assailant, and withdraws from intimacy with her boyfriend. She also later expresses self-blame, mentioning that she smiled at him which “made him think” he could assault her.
Over the course of the series, Aimee progressively learns to cope with her trauma, with the support of her friends, a therapist, and through creative means such as photography and art:
Aimee exhibits several symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as avoidance, intrusive thoughts, and negative beliefs about herself and the world. Sex Education portrays how traumatic events like sexual assault can have lasting impacts on survivors’ lives and wellbeing, and this depiction has been praised by trauma experts and survivors of similar events.
This example also highlights the important role of social support in the recovery process. When Aimee tells her classmates that she cannot get on the bus anymore, they come together to get on the bus with her in a powerful scene that resonated with many viewers.
However, her trauma did not end there as she is still shown to be affected by the incident, i.e. by holding back from intimacy. She is subsequently encouraged to speak with a therapist and explore creative outlets such as baking and visual art. These steps help her move forward as she slowly begins to feel more comfortable with physical affection. Some individuals felt that the storyline was being dragged out. Nevertheless, a larger proportion of viewers appreciated that Sex Education did not show Aimee recovering from her trauma overnight, but rather that recovery takes time and how seeking support can be valuable.
