A question about child abuse (not sexualized) within a story, and what relevant tags are allowed as content warnings.

[Constories]

In an upcoming story, the primary villain of the story molests his underage step-daughter.*

The act will not be depicted directly; it will only be referenced and in no way sexualized. (to be honest, his crime will probably just be hinted at, but enough that everyone will understand what happened)

Something like:

"You know what you did! She was only fourteen! You're a fucking monster and you deserve every ounce of misery you get!"

That said, I know that there are bans on certain tags (for example: apparently "murder" is a disallowed tag according to @Duleigh. even though stories can have murder in them).

I want to use the tags as a content/trigger warnings, without accidentally using something that is banned, or somehow getting my story auto-rejected because of the tags. I already plan to put an editor's note in the story notifying Laurel about the content and context.

I'm pretty sure "molestation" and "child abuse" are probably not allowed as tags, but I was wondering if there were any other tags that would clearly act as warnings without somehow seeming like they were advertisements for titillation. Or is there anyway to see what tags are banned beforehand. That would be super helpful.

*For the record, I am well aware of what content is allowed and disallowed within stories on Lit, regarding underage sex... I am only asking about the tags, thanks!
Who wants to bet me that at least 5 commentors don't read this post all the way through, and they try discussing what is/isn't allowed within Lit stories? Who's gonna take the over/under?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Any tag that might act as a warning would also act like honey to a bee, so I would think not.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I want to use the tags as a content/trigger warnings, without accidentally using something that is banned, or somehow getting my story auto-rejected because of the tags. I already plan to put an editor's note in the story notifying Laurel about the content and context.

I'm pretty sure "molestation" and "child abuse" are probably not allowed as tags, but I was wondering if there were any other tags that would clearly act as warnings without somehow seeming like they were advertisements for titillation. Or is there anyway to see what tags are banned beforehand. That would be super helpful.

I don't know of an explicit list of banned tags, but you could try searching other stories for your intended tags. If it's permitted, there's a good chance somebody else has used it here in the past; if you don't see it, may well be banned. Both "content warning" and "abuse" do show up in story tags here.

IMHO though you might be better off putting those warnings as a note before the story. My impression is that tags are used more as a "find content I like" tool than an "avoid content I dislike", and many readers aren't in the habit of checking tags first. A compromise would be to put there more specific warnings in tags and just put something like "content warnings for this story are given in the tags" within the body.

*For the record, I am well aware of what content is allowed and disallowed within stories on Lit, regarding underage sex... I am only asking about the tags, thanks!
Who wants to bet me that at least 5 commentors don't read this post all the way through, and they try discussing what is/isn't allowed within Lit stories? Who's gonna take the over/under?

Not betting against you on that one.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

IMHO though you might be better off putting those warnings as a note before the story. My impression is that tags are used more as a "find content I like" tool than an "avoid content I dislike", and many readers aren't in the habit of checking tags first. A compromise would be to put there more specific warnings in tags and just put something like "content warnings for this story are given in the tags" within the body.

A written warning would be more reliable. After nearly two decades on this site, I only this year learned how to see the tags for a story. And I suspect I'm far from the oldest and least technologically literate of the site's readership.

 

[OverconfidentSarcasm]

I want to use the tags as a content/trigger warnings, without accidentally using something that is banned, or somehow getting my story auto-rejected because of the tags. I already plan to put an editor's note in the story notifying Laurel about the content and context.

But... that's not what tags are for?

Tags are meant to categorize the content of your story, so, when a reader starts searching for "anal", they get stories that feature anal sex. Consequently, when someone finds a story tagged with "abuse", they would expect the story to actually deal with that topic, and not just find a sidenote about a past event that is only hinted at.

Naturally, I can not imagine that a tag like "child molestation" will go through, but "molestation" seems to be fine. Just be aware that the people looking for that tag will come to your work with a certain set of expectations.

 

[oneagainst]

Regardless of tagging, I think your chances are just about zero of getting approved. In one story I'm familiar with, the FMC confesses that a messed up abortion means she can't get pregnant. There are paragraphs of how it happened, that it was the stepfather etc, that he made her keep it quiet. Right at the end she closed with the throwaway comment: "that's what you get for being so pretty at fifteen". Hard stop, rejected. It was permissible to leave all the execrable detail in about the rape, etc, and it passed as soon as fifteen was edited to so young.

It's a no from the judging panel.

 

[MrPixel]

I'm somewhat lost about the emphasis on story tags as a solution. I never notice the tags on anything. In my estimation, they are a search tool only and not, as proposed, a warning label about content. Very few see them when reading a story; they're a footnote in a panel in the end matter.

And I'm with the concept that tagging about "bad stuff" would draw an audience looking for trouble. Which is why I never use the tag "cuckold" even though that may very well be prominent in a story that, overall, falls outside of LW.

Am I off-base?

 

[oneagainst]

Am I off-base?

Very much on-base. Tags are search metadata to bring extra readers to your story, ie the loving wives tag on a romance category story will bring in the LW crew. It is not a useful way of warning readers about content.

A one-line author's advisory at the top of the story is the only way I have found effective, eg: "contains depictions of woodworking, but not graphic woodworking"

 

[Bamagan]

I second the advice of using a preface, assuming the story is allowed to be published here.
I disagree with the advice to not bother tagging it as well. Different people obviously use those in different ways. Some use it only for searching, as apparently the above commenters do. I always check the tags to see if they include additional details about the content, and in the newer user interface, the tags are no longer just a footnote. I don't know if I'm in the minority or the majority in terms of using tags this way, but I am skeptical that I am the only person who uses them as a guide. Also perhaps worth mentioning, a story with no tags or very few and vague is often one I will pass on, unless the blurb is very interesting or I know the author's other work. Again, not sure how common that is, but no one can really say if it's very rare, very common, or somewhere in between. (Well, none of us who are just site users, anyway).

 

[Gamblnluck]

If you are going to simply use the line you described: 'you know what you did.etc" I would not even bother with a tag. I use tags for the overall essence of the story, not each little item. If your story's center is bdsm, you do not have to mention anal, ball busting, spanking, etc..
Having said that, some people select stories to read by specific tags.

 

[NotWise]

If you stay close to your quoted passage, then I don't think you need to worry about either a rejection on that basis or on offending readers. I have two stories with similar elements. The most nearly explicit example sailed through review. The less specific example was caught by the site and initially rejected, but Laurel approved the story when I appealed to her. No reader has ever complained and both stories are well-rated.

The use of tags that you're talking about is probably a misuse. Tags are usually used to connect to readers who want that content. If your tags were even allowed, then they would bring the wrong reader to your story.

 

[Constories]

Regardless of tagging, I think your chances are just about zero of getting approved. In one story I'm familiar with, the FMC confesses that a messed up abortion means she can't get pregnant. There are paragraphs of how it happened, that it was the stepfather etc, that he made her keep it quiet. Right at the end she closed with the throwaway comment: "that's what you get for being so pretty at fifteen". Hard stop, rejected. It was permissible to leave all the execrable detail in about the rape, etc, and it passed as soon as fifteen was edited to so young.

It's a no from the judging panel.

I know sometimes things gets false flagged by the automatic system. I intend to cover that an the editor's note.

Perhaps I'll remove "fourteen" to prevent an auto-flag

 

[stickygirl]

How can child abuse as a child NOT impact how your character now behaves? I don't see how you can uncouple reference to a past event to the sexualised nature of the rest of the story. If it doesn't impact on their behaviour now, why mention it at all? If it does then implications will naturally be drawn.
Short answer - don't even go there. It'll save you a lot of time and save us reading about why your story wasn't accepted.

 

[Djmac1031]

Since this topic has come up:

In my newest story I'm working on, a She-Demon confronts a priest with photos found on his laptop:

Turning the screen towards him, she clicked through the images displayed. "These are you, right? On your knees in front of your altar boy? But I don't think you're praying, are you, Patrick?"

I don't mention age, or a specific sex act.

But I'm wondering if the line will get through.

I'm willing to edit it, of course, if it's deemed a problem.

But it works to set up the following a few paragraphs later:

"Do you know what happens to child rapists in Hell, Patrick? I'll give you a hint: a Demon's tail isn't the only part of their anatomy that's long, sharp, and serrated."

 

[stickygirl]

Since this topic has come up:

In my newest story I'm working on, a She-Demon confronts a priest with photos found on his laptop:



I don't mention age, or a specific sex act.

But I'm wondering if the line will get through.

I'm willing to edit it, of course, if it's deemed a problem.

But it works to set up the following a few paragraphs later:

I've got a (unwanted) mental image in my mind. I dunno. Once you've established yourself as a regular I suspect you're not scrunitised as heavily. I'm not a gambling girl though

 

[Djmac1031]

I've got a (unwanted) mental image in my mind. I dunno. Once you've established yourself as a regular I suspect you're not scrunitised as heavily. I'm not a gambling girl though

The way I see it, the worst that can happen is it gets rejected and I have to edit the line.

It's not integral to the story, I can find ways around it if need be.

 

[Constories]

How can child abuse as a child NOT impact how your character now behaves? I don't see how you can uncouple reference to a past event to the sexualised nature of the rest of the story. If it doesn't impact on their behaviour now, why mention it at all? If it does then implications will naturally be drawn.
Short answer - don't even go there. It'll save you a lot of time and save us reading about why your story wasn't accepted.

The child in question never has sex anywhere throughout the story. It is only revealing the evil of the stepfather

 

[stickygirl]

The child in question never has sex anywhere throughout the story. It is only revealing the evil of the stepfather

Still thin ice but I hope, once seen in detail, it works out

 

[ElectricBlue]

The way I see it, the worst that can happen is it gets rejected and I have to edit the line.

It's not integral to the story, I can find ways around it if need be.

My suggestion, always, on questions like this, is: go with your gut feel. If you gave yourself the answer to your own question, you were probably right the first time.

Change it now, especially if it's not central to your story. It'll save your time and the site's time.