Isabel Prez

Professor Marion Bruner

ENGL 120A 002
22 March, 2015
Final Paper Research Proposal
My topic for my research essay is the culture of rape in America and how it can
be changed. I found one article about how rape culture is a myth and one about how it is
reality. The first is called Its Time to End Rape Culture Hysteria by Caroline
Kitchens and it was published at time.com on March 20, 2014. The second is called
Rape Culture is Real by Zerlina Maxwell and it was published at time.com on March
27, 2014.
In the first article, Ms. Kitchens challenges believers in rape culture who say that
what allows rape to happen is a culture of passivity and tolerance, saying that rapists
are despised and the strict laws regarding rape are enforced. She also goes on to say that
the belief in rape culture leads to censorship and hysteria. In one of her examples of
censorship, I agree with her, it is kind of extreme to ask that a statue of an almost naked
man be removed because it could trigger a sexual assault survivor. What I dont agree
with is her use of quotations around the word triggers, as if it isnt a real and very serious
thing that happens to, not only sexual assault survivors, but also former military and
others who suffer PTSD. She also cites a growing number of men who are being tried
with rape at college judicial boards and makes the claim that they are considered guilty
simply because of accusation. This is not true at all shown by the horrifying statistic that
only 3% of rapists are convicted and serve time. Some of Ms. Kitchens points are valid

and factual, but many are ignorant and perpetuate the rape culture she is claiming doesnt
exist.
In the second article, a rebuttal of the Ms. Kitchens article, Ms. Maxwell talks
about examples of how rape culture is shown in the aftermath of rapes and sexual
assaults. In no other crime is the victim asked what she/he was wearing, if she/he was
drinking, or anything else that implies that she/he was asking for it. She also quotes the
author Jaclyn Friedman who makes the excellent point that the kind of rapist the
American public despises is the terrifying monster lurking in the bushes, waiting to
pounce on an innocent girl as she walks by not someone they know and love. This is
shown in the publics response to the Steubenville rape case, where media mourned the
end of the convicted Steubenville rapists football careers and (did) not mention the
young girl who was victimized. Ms. Maxwell also started #RapeCultureIsWhen and
then shared some of the responses to showcase other aspects of rape culture that she did
not have the time to talk about in her article.
My topic for this paper is going to be rape in America. I am going to focus on the
culture that allows it to happen so frequently and ways to change that culture. I havent
found many materials so far in the research process, but I will definitely use the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network website and will most likely use these two articles.
Besides those three sources, I do not have any in mind yet.