Tyler was left beaten and assaulted in a high school restroom (Picture: Netflix)

***WARNING: Major season two spoilers and triggering discussion beyond this point***

13 Reasons Why writer Brian Yorkey has come out in defence of the harrowing scenes that saw a student get violently sexually assaulted in a toilet.

While the Netflix show has never been one to shy away from controversy, viewers felt the series went way too far in the latest season finale.

Photographer Tyler, long suggested to be someone who could potentially become a school shooter, was violently attacked and sodomized by three high school jocks.


Led by steroid junkie Monty, viewers watched in horror as Tyler had his face smashed into a sink, before having his head shoved down a toilet and being raped with a broken mop handle.

The graphic scene played out in full view of the audience (Picture: Netflix)

The graphic-scene, which played out in its entirety in front of cameras, has led to sickened fans online switching off, claiming the show had gone too far.



However, speaking to Vulture, Brian Yorkey has insisted that incidents like this are indicative of real-life scenarios, and that people are offended as they ‘don’t want to be confronted by it’.

In a statement, he said: ‘We’re committed on this show to telling truthful stories about things that young people go through in as unflinching a way as we can. We fully understand that that means some of the scenes in the show will be difficult to watch.

‘I think Netflix has helped provide viewers with lots of resources for understanding that this may not be the show for everybody, and also resources for people who do watch it and are troubled and need help.’

Monty and the jocks corner Tyler in a bathroom (Picture: Netflix)

‘But the fact is that, as intense as that scene is, and as strong as are or reactions to it may be, it doesn’t even come close to the pain experienced by the people who actually go through these things,’ he added.

‘When we talk about something being “disgusting” or hard to watch, often that means we are attaching shame to the experience. We would rather not be confronted with it. We would rather it stay out of our consciousness.

‘This is why these kinds of assaults are under-reported. This is why victims have a hard time seeking help.

‘We believe that talking about it is so much better than silence.’

Viewers were sickened by Monty’s brutal sexual assault (Picture: Netflix)

He added to the site that he believed the backlash comes as a result of the assault happening to a man, and not a woman.

In the first series, Jessica and Hannah were both raped – with Jessica being taken advantage of while she was sleeping at a party, and Hannah being raped in a hot tub.

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