Is This Succession Character Harboring a Painful Secret?

It’s left considerably ambiguous whether or not Gerri is definitely having fun with turning into the catalyst of Roman’s sexual wishes or whether or not her insults are supposed to be taken as conventional degradation. It doesn’t matter what is working via Gerri’s thoughts, Roman enjoys being on the receiving finish of abuse on this scene. This runs parallel to the methods he’s been handled as a menial member of the Roy household by each his siblings and his dad and mom for the whole lot of his upbringing and maturity. 

Is Roman’s affiliation with erotic humiliation merely a method to capitalize and even benefit from the methods he’s been abused all through his life, or is there a deeper trauma mendacity beneath the floor? Are the jokes about intercourse and the methods Roman enjoys arousing himself really a touch by the writers about deeper, extra disgusting abuse in Roman’s previous? 

Was Roman Sexually Assaulted?

Some Succession followers have began to wonder if the abuse Roman obtained in his backstory is extra sexual in nature than the abuse the opposite Roy youngsters obtained. Medium author Kieran Rose Pilon wrote again in 2021 about how Roman’s assortment of sexual assault jokes all through the present all the time concentrate on himself fairly than another person. Self-deprecation is usually a approach to deal with trauma that has occurred in life, and Roman’s incessant must poke enjoyable of very severe topics corresponding to sexual assault isn’t solely disturbing, but additionally curious. 

Reddit additionally has loads of discourse on the potential of Roman being a sexual abuse sufferer. The linked publish talks about how Roman’s jokes about molestation and incest could possibly be indicators of PTSD being manifested in unhealthy methods. There’s clearly a cause why Roman makes these uncomfortable statements about these subjects and Shiv, Kendall, and Connor by no means do. Roman additionally makes a whole lot of remarks about abuse coming from a member of the family, typically in reference to bullying that Kendall and Connor would inflict on him. Research present round 30% of molested youngsters are victimized by a member of the family, so the statistics make the likelihood look extra practical. 

Historical past of Abuse within the Roy Household

We all know that there was a protracted historical past of abuse within the Roy household. Logan was bodily abused by his father, which was hinted at when scars on his again are revealed pool facet throughout a late first season episode. Logan hit Roman within the face on-screen one time, which is the one occasion the place we get to really see tangible proof of the bodily abuse Logan inflicts on his youngsters. And we additionally find out about a person named Lester McClintock, nicknamed “Mo Lester” as a result of he is without doubt one of the most outstanding culprits of sexual abuse on the Waystar Royco cruise strains again in season 2. There are bread crumbs hinting on the ways in which sexual assault is just accepted as a standard factor across the Roy household.