I want to know, did the
producers know about this story
before she was cast or during
the casting process?
>> I honestly don't know when we
were made aware exactly of
Caelynn's story.
We knew about it before that
night, she was about to have the
conversation clearly.
We actually took precautions and
some steps just to make it as
intimate and private as possible
for them.
We usually have a lot of people
around.
There's a lot of movement.
We're worried about getting
shots.
We had as few people on set as
possible, moved them as far away
as possible and gave them as
much privacy as we could and
went with what we had, don't
worry about make tg pretty.
Get this conversation and leave
them alone.
>> You took a break and asked
if --
>> Afterwards we were just very
cognizant of the fact that they
just had an intense
conversation, a very personal
conversation.
Just making sure they were okay
and having people Caelynn could
talk to and Colton, too.
Not to shine a light on anyone
other than Caelynn, but the way
Colton handled it, the things it
brought up in him as well making
sure he was okay.
>> Let's talk about what he
revealed as well.
You understand a little bit more
about why he's, you know,
continued to be a virgin because
of his relationship that he was
in in the past as well.
>> Right.
Look, and I knew the jokes
themselves when we talk about
him and his virginity.
I knew it was going to be a
cocktail joke and cliche fest.
I knew there would be a
discernible part in the show.
This was the conversation that
really changes the whole
direction of how you see Colton,
how you feel about him.
He, too, was involved in a
relationship that was marred by
sexual assault.
>> Here's what Colton said last
night.
>> I had a situation in my past
where I was in a relationship in
which she was sexually abused.
And for me that was the hardest
thing I ever had to watch, going
through something with someone,
looking in their eyes and just
knowing, like, the pain
associated with it.
For me, for that to be my first
love and the first person who I
found right for me, and it
didn't happen.
And opening up last year about
my virginity wasn't the easiest
thing to do.
>> Right.
I think the thing I realize
everybody who asks me, why are
you a virgin?
They expect a simple answer.
They want to know.
>> Yeah.
>> And my reason is complicated.
>> Well, what did you think of
last night's episode?
>> He handled it beautifully.
She told her story so well, and
she was so brave about it.
I think it's crazy that we've
gone over 20 seasons now and I
don't think any girl has ever
come out with a story like this.
But I think the stat is one in
six women either experience rap
or attempted rap.
So, I mean, she was the first
here.
>> You know what's interesting,
I always say this show doesn't
change culture or make culture.
It's a microcosm of what's going
on in our culture.
To your point, nobody speaking
is a microcosm of what's gone on
in our culture.
You and Ben, former bachelor, do
a podcast.
Their podcast hadn't come out.
They've received hundreds of
letters of people that are now
telling these stories.
I told you back stage, a lot of
them mothers who now have kids
who are 20 something years old.
They've never told their story
before and have never talked to
their kids.
To your point, I think -- I know
a lot of people have gone
through this and they have never
told their story.
They felt ashamed.
They felt like it was their
fault somehow.
I hope this rips the band aid
off this and people start
speaking about this.
>> Mothers, I think about our
generation.
I have some friends it happened
to.
.
I feel like with the me, too
movement -- this is four years
and now as parents and I'm
looking at our daughters about
ready to go to college, I
thought maybe we've come to a
CLAs where you can talk about
things, horrific things didn't
happen, or boys would learn that
this is completely unacceptable.
Like, I can't believe it was
just four years ago.
>> I also think there's a lot --
there's been a whole bunch of
Hollywood actors to come out.
To have one relatable girl in
the bachelor, a college girl,
totally different for the
audience to see.
>> I think, I think to see two
young people who are looking at
each other like potential mates
and saying, here's what I'm
dealing with, here's where I've
been hurt.
Here's where I'm trying to heal.
In an effort to say maybe even
where you hurt -- where are you
trying to heal, how can we
support one another?
I think it's a really moving
thing for a new relationship.
>> I love that because the way
Colton talked about his own
experience, I'm raising young
boys, you're raising young
girls.
It's the other side of the
conversation, too.
To be that person in the room
who grabs your friends and say,
don't do this.
You can't do this.
That's criminal.
And --
>> But also, to also be the guy
who says to the woman or the
individual who has been hurt
this way, I love you and you're
lovable and you're worthy and
you're --
>> I thought Caelynn had a great
point.
We stopped the clip right before
she jumped back in and said, no,
there is a ripple effect.
It's not just about the one
person.
Her family was affected.
Her friends are affected.
Her relationships are affected.
You saw what Colton went
there will be a subsequent
conversation with Colton and
myself where we sit down in our
next location and kind of dive
deeper into this.
>> I like that.
>> And talk a lot more about his
situation in particular because,
you know, it's kind of about his
journey as we move forward.
This is kind of the tip of the
iceberg.
>> What happened to Caelynn after
this?
You said you stopped filming.
>> We didn't stop filming.
It's not like we shut down
production or anything.
We knew this conversation was
about to take place.
We were prepared for it going
in.
Kudos to our producers, photogs,
we took lengths to make this as
private and personal as possible
and still capture it.
There's always mechanisms in
place to make sure people are
taken care of.
We're making sure they're okay.
We've spoken about this before.
It's her platform.
It was gut wrenching.
It was harder for a lot of us to
hear.
>> It was.
>> Was there ever a point where
the show considered not airing
it?
Once you've got it, once you've
>> No, you know, I think -- and
again, kudos to the executive
producers of which I'm a part of
that team, this stuff needs to
be heard.
>> Thank you.
>> Absolutely.
>> One thing, again, as you
mentioned, we're all here for
the funny, the campiness, the
Ashley crying.
>> Sorry, Ashley.
>> We needed a laugh.
>> We're all there for that.
But then there are times when
this show -- and I've been here
a lot with you guys, will push
kind of some social issue, and
it's great.
All of a sudden it raises the
level of debate, no matter what
it was.
I go back to Caitlyn and the
double standard of women and --
there's a lot of things where we
kind of touched on issues where
we have these conversations.
If nothing else on the show, the
fact we're sitting here today
talking about this and sexual
assault and taking the stigma
away hopefully, and that there
are people, moms out there and
daughters --
>> It is viewing party Monday on
college campuses.
Something all these young
women --
>> There are thousands of soar
rep
sororities sitting around.
Hopefully they have a massive
conversation.
I have a 15-year-old daughter
and 17-year-old son.
Now I have a reason to debate
and talk to them and start this
conversation.
It's incredible.
>> I wonder if you -- did you
talk to any of the other
bachelor contestants as well?
Because I would bet you in that
room there's more than just
Caelynn.
>> Interesting, yeah.
You know, I think Caelynn went
back and talked to the girls.
Off the top of my head I can't
remember if anyone stepped
forward and said that happened
to me, too.
>> I wouldn't be surprised.
>> Not at all.
>> Thanks for coming in today.
We didn't talk about the
kangaroo hop by Colton.
The stuff is all in there.
>> We still have so much to
but the rest of the season is
awesome.
It really does.
You saw the shift.
From here on out --
>> He's a different kind of
bachelor.
>> He's a good man.
I was excited for people to get
to see the man that he is.
The great --
>> You don't see Elaine.
I don't know.
>> I feel like kit might have
been in the house at some point.
>> If you don't see Elaine, you
know --
>> You know.
You can see more -- hear more of
Ashley on her podcast kit and
Ben and Ashley available on
iTunes.
And the bachelor is back Monday
at 8:00 on ABC.