After a misdirection, here is what actually happened to Alma in Netflix's Raising Voices series.
Raising Voices is a Spanish drama miniseries based on Miguel Sáez Carral's novel of the same name, starring Nicole Wallace, Clara Galle, and Aïcha Villaverde.
The Netflix series premiered on May 31 and centers on 17-year-old Alma (Wallace) and her friends Greta (Galle) and Nata (Villaverde), whose lives are disrupted when Alma hangs a banner at their high school that says, "Be careful, a rapist is hiding in there" in Spanish.
Amidst some confusion for those who have not watched the full series, this will further clarify some of the harsh events in Raising Voices.
Who's the Rapist in Raising Voices?
Warning - This article contains spoilers and discusses events of sexual assault in Raising Voices.
Raising Voices opens with the eye-catching scene of Alma standing in front of a sign that reads "Cuidado, ahí dentro se esconde un violador" (translated to "Be careful, a rapist is hiding in there").
While some may believe this "rapist" is related to an assault against Alma, it is not.
After that first scene in Episode 1, the rest of the eight-part series tells the drawn-out stories of these high schoolers' lives, leading to the eventual arrest of a predator.
During Episode 6, Alma's friend Berta tells her about a history teacher at their school, Juan Lopez Sanchez (Iván Massagué), and how he previously sexually assaulted her when she was younger.
At the end of Episode 8, when Alma outs Sanchez to the student body, staff, and ultimately the police, he leaves the school in handcuffs.
It is a powerful image to see so many students (including many impacted girls) walk out of class to stand behind Alma and others under the series' central sign.
For viewers who have not finished the show, it may be surprising to see who is also standing united directly behind Alma, her former abuser.
So Who Assaulted Alma in Raising Voices?
In Episode 4, Alma reveals to Greta what happened on her way home the night of the party that was previously shown.
She left that night with her friend Hernan out of embarrassment from seeing Greta or her brother. Alma takes Molly and does not want anyone to see her like that, especially her parents.
When recounting the event, Alma tells Greta that she thought "if [she] banged Hernan [she] would feel better:"
"And well I must've thought that well, if I banged Hernan I would feel better. But it wasn't a good idea."
The flashback scene depicts Hernan and Alma having intercourse, with the former noticeably more aware and active than the latter.
On the way out the next morning, Alma tells Hernan, "This didn't happen, okay? Got it? Don't you dare tell anyone."
When a group of friends and she later confronts Hernan (after she confesses what happened to Greta), Alma tells him, "A real friend would have taken me straight home."
Later in Episode 5, Hernan catches Alma in the school hallways and they discuss what happened that night of the party. While that conversation ends with her telling him he was completely in the wrong, there was no resolution or clear apology.
It's not until a bus ride during Episode 7 that Hernan admits, "I should not have slept with you that night. You were not well."
After telling her he wishes he could take it back and apologizing, Alma tells him, "It's alright, Hernan."
As previously mentioned, Hernan can be seen directly behind Alma during the walkout school event which leads to Mr. Sanchez's arrest and the eventual end of the story.
All eight episodes of Raising Voices are streaming on Netflix.
