Surprise, He’s Innocent: The Character Trope of the Wrongfully Accused White Man in the #MeToo Era

Violence Against Women. 2026 Jul 6:10778012261465666. doi: 10.1177/10778012261465666. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In 2021, Netflix released Clickbait and The Guilty, which both feature white men who are wrongfully accused of gender-based violence. The character trope of the wrongfully accused man is a staple in popular film and television but takes on a new meaning in the #MeToo era. This article argues that Clickbait‘s and The Guilty‘s use of this trope is created by perpetuating rape myths. Thus, they contribute to rape and domestic violence myth acceptance. Furthermore, it will demonstrate that their overall narratives show striking parallels with what Jennifer J. Freyd coined as DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender).

PMID:42405565 | DOI:10.1177/10778012261465666