User blog comment:ShawnCognitionCP/Warnings on Creepypastas: Why I Despise Them/@comment-26007602-20150224002641

You're fairly spot on here.

I'd wager that most of us on the site agree that horror shouldn't be restricted at all. If someone wants to use rape or sexual violence in a story (IF it has a reason for being there and is not just shock value), then that writer should be able to post it without fear of retaliation. Sex and horror go hand in hand; the only thing creepier than the unknown dread is the unknown dread laced in sex. Sex makes people uncomfortable and we as writers should be allowed to capitalize on that to a great extent (Obviously, we don't need downright porn on here; that's just disturbing in a bad way).

That said, I think it's always the author's choice whether they want to include a warning or not. I completely agree with you: my opinion of a story drops significantly when the author decides to put a warning at the top. However, we shouldn't outright call them out on it and demand it's removal; that's just as bad as those that demand a trigger warning be placed there in the first place.

It's ultimately the author's choice and if they think the story needs one, then they can go right on ahead. Horror is one of the hardest and most satisfying genres to write; we shouldn't be restricted because someone may be offended.

But I'd have to say that most readers here are mature and sensible enough to realize this.