Without Her Consent 1990

Emily Briggs [Melissa Gilbert] relocates from Idaho to Los Angeles after a new job offer, hoping for a fresh start. On her first days in the city, she meets Jason Barnes [Scott Valentine], a friendly neighbor who works as a set decorator for movies. He welcomes her into his world and invites her to his Santa Monica home to pick up an old table she can use in her new place, but the meeting takes a dark turn when he forces himself on her. Emily fights to escape, the raid of fear heavy as she endures a harrowing night, her life suddenly shadowed by something she never expected to happen in a place she hoped would feel safe.

Her cousin Marty [Crystal Bernard], a constant presence in her life, urges her to report the assault, but the District Attorney refuses to prosecute, insisting there were no witnesses and that Emily willingly went to his house. The fact that Jason Barnes has five prior arrests for similar allegations does not sway the decision, leaving Emily to cope with the trauma largely on her own. The courtroom decision feels like a cold verdict, a setback that echoes through Emily’s attempt to rebuild.

Trying to reclaim normalcy, Emily finds it hard to share intimacy with her fiancé Trey Cousins [Barry Tubb], and the weight of what happened strains their relationship as they try to navigate a path forward together.

Months later, Marcia Daily [Robin Riker] visits and reveals that she, too, was raped by Jason and that he has stalked other women as a way of exerting power. She warns Emily that the danger extends beyond a single incident and points her toward Gloria Allred, a high-profile attorney who could help if the women join forces. The idea of stepping into a courtroom feels daunting, but Marcia’s testimony plants a seed of possibility that Emily can’t easily ignore. The possibility of a coordinated case shifts the dynamic from personal trauma to a potential public reckoning.

Emily remains reluctant to go to court yet, and the tension between her past and present life intensifies. She confides in Trey, and the conversation is overheard, fueling turmoil between them. In a surge of anger and protectiveness, Trey lashes out in a moment that changes everything, and he ends up driving over Jason in a clenched, heated act of desperation. The act is reckless and dangerous, a flashpoint that forces Emily to confront the consequences of fear, anger, and love colliding under pressure.

Aware that her fiancé is now facing a potential prison sentence, Emily seeks legal aid from Gloria Allred [Bebe Neuwirth], who agrees to take on her case and brings Emily’s rape narrative into the public eye, hoping to influence the jury by shedding light on the pattern of abuse. The decision marks a turning point, transforming a private wound into a public challenge that could affect more than one life.

In court, Trey is sentenced to 36 months of probation, given a restraining order against Jason’s residence, and required to cover medical expenses. The weight of the case and the intense media attention leaves him overwhelmed, and Emily ends their engagement as she begins to see through the lens of resilience—she remains determined to seek justice. Then Claire Sugarman [Julie McCullough] steps forward, another victim of Jason, enabling Gloria to broaden the case and demonstrate a recurring pattern; her testimony strengthens the argument that Jason’s actions were part of a calculated method of control rather than isolated incidents.

During this turbulent chapter, Emily finds renewed resolve to pursue justice. Trey’s presence lingers as a complicated memory, but Emily’s determination grows; she is not content to be dismissed or dismissed again. As the trial against Jason approaches, Emily faces a grueling on-the-stand ordeal, where she is battered with questions aimed at undermining her credibility. The defense suggests she may have been promiscuous, and the courtroom drama intensifies as their attorney tries to break Jason by forcing him to confront his own lies to the police.

To bolster the case, Trey seeks out Pete Raymond [Peter Hobbs], a neighbor who could serve as a witness. Pete’s testimony becomes pivotal when, in court, he confirms that Emily left his place in torn clothes, providing crucial context that supports her account and challenges Jason’s version of events. The tension peaks as Jason finally breaks, admitting his crime under the weight of testimony and evidence.

The result is a verdict that resonates beyond the courtroom: Jason Barnes is sentenced to a decade in prison, and Emily, vindicated at last, receives $5 million in damages. The journey moves from a private horror to a public acknowledgment of pain, with Emily and Trey’s relationship transformed by the experience. What began as a frightening infringement on one woman’s life becomes a cause for accountability, a testament to the power of legal action, solidarity among survivors, and the hard-won certainty that truth can illuminate even the deepest wounds.