Based on the real-life gang rape of Cheryl Araujo that occurred at Big Dan's Bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts on March 6, 1983, this film was one of the first Hollywood films to deal with rape in a direct manner. Katie McGillis stars in a college dating video in "Brian Goes Back to College", a nod to her being the victim of a rape in 1982, which inspired her to act the role of the prosecutor for a rape victim in The Accused.[1] Peter Griffin's fake pinball machine-related flashback in describing his prostate exam in "Stewie Loves Lois" parodies the film.