YASMIN VINCE: EastEnders did Joel’s incel storyline well – but how it ends matters most
EastEnders' Joel Marshall is back on screen and set to face the music after his horrific attack on Vicki Fowler, and while the soap has so far handled the storyline well, how it ends is more important than ever
With Joel Marshall’s trial finally happening on EastEnders, the soap’s handling of the incel storyline has to be praised – but it’s how it ends that matters most. His attack on Vicki Fowler and the toxic masculinity that motivated it reflects a huge societal issue, but convictions in the real world are shocking. Should EastEnders reflect this, or ‘fix’ reality?
In last night’s episode of EastEnders, Joel stood trial in a youth court after he assaulted Vicki Fowler, putting her in hospital, and filmed his sexual encounter with Avani Nandra-Hart. The teen boy had gone down an incel pipeline, coming to believe that men needed to dominant and “keep women in their place”. By that he meant women owed him whatever he wanted – whether that be love, their bodies, or something to beat up.
Joel went to trial last night(Image: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Cases of violence against women are prevalent – they were deemed an “epidemic” and “national emergency” by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in 2024. That same year, the conviction rate for domestic abuse against women was at a national average of just 4.5%, primarily due to few cases even making it to the prosecution stage. According to End Violence Against Women, 862,765 offences relating to violence against women were reported to the police, and less than 10% were prosecuted in 2023. Likewise, the stats for revenge porn offences showed only 4% of cases reported to the police ended with the alleged offender charged.
Most women I know have thought about what would happen if they had to stand up in court like Vicki did last night, knowing these statistics. Knowing how rare it is for your case to even reach the prosecution stage, rather than being dismissed. Knowing that this still doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Knowing that you have to get through cross-examination first.
Like with most soaps, many scenes that happen in EastEnders are hammed up for effect, but Vicki’s experience in court felt very realistic. The way Joel’s lawyer attacked her character and brought up every mistake she’d made in order to paint her as the villain was difficult to watch, because it happens so often.
Time and time again, we hear stories about women who are put on the witness stand to give evidence about a man that attacked them, but are put on trial instead. Was your skirt too short? Were you staying out too late? What did you do to make this sweet and innocent boy hurt you?
Vicki was brutally attacked by Joel(Image: BBC)
To give EastEnders its credit, the realism in this storyline is what makes it so powerful. The soap has tackled such a sensitive subject incredibly well, even going so far as to create a companion documentary about the radicalisation of young men to highlight the issue.
Not once have I felt like they were siding with Joel, but nor did they make him so cartoonishly evil that what he did was beyond things that happen to women all the time. As much as we want our soaps to be over the top and out there, stories like these need to be grounded in reality so that those who watch them can recognise it when the TV is turned off too.
But what happens next? The episode ended with Vicki storming out of the court, convinced they would let Joel off. Based on the statistics, she could be right. Though the percentage of such cases in which the defendant is convicted stands at 76%, that still leaves a 24% likelihood Joel walks free. Vicki has beaten much worse odds by even getting the case to court.
It would be lovely if Vicki was proved wrong and Joel was sentenced. I can’t lie and say my stomach doesn’t twist at the thought of Joel getting away with his crimes, especially as he smirked at Vicki as she broke down on the stand. But I also know that if he does, EastEnders, who have so far done a superb job, may not be showing its viewers everything they need to see.
Yes, women need to see their attackers pay for what they did, but we know that’s not always likely. What I actually want to see, more than either verdict, is Vicki and Avani walking back into that court and showing Joel and his slimy lawyer that they aren’t afraid of them.
They aren’t going to live their lives in fear because of what he did. As long as they can do that and the people around them support them, guilty or not guilty, Joel and his toxic mindset have lost.
