Theuner 1

Dakota Theuner

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

2/17/17

Topic Proposal: The Blurred Line

Introduction/Overview

I will be examining different sexual assault cases to determine where the actual line of

consent is. Rape culture in America is very prevalent, especially on college campuses. Ill also be

investigating different factors in each case such as alcohol or drug use.

It seems to be that rape, among other sexual assault, is an increasingly popular topic in

society today. More people are coming forward about their experiences, yet so many remain

quiet. Many stay silent because they feel hopeless about their case since only 6 out of every

1,000 rapists end up in prisons. This being said, often times there are different accounts of what

actually happened.

When people are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, events can get muddled

oftentimes, decisions can be made that we didnt want, that we dont remember, or that we

wanted while sober but dont remember doing while not. Because of this muddled line, the idea

of consent becomes blurred. If two people decide to have sex while drunk, can one claim rape

the day after? If two people decide to have sex while sober but get drunk, can they still claim

rape? This paper, and the research it presents, aims to discover where consent truly begins and

ends.
 Theuner 2

I recently changed my topic and havent had much time to research it. However, Ive

done more research on this topic already than I did on my last topic because I was that much

more interested in it. I have used the librarys databases and found a few articles with statistics

on sexual assault in America and on college campuses. Ive also found a lot of statistics of

RAINN.org. RAINN stands for Rape Abuse and Incest National Network. I came across the idea

to use this topic after being a part of an intense discussion related to this topic with a group of

friends.

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

What really constitutes rape?

What is the definition of consent?

o Is this definition realistic or upheld?

Is the victim ever to blame?

At what point does sex become rape instead of just a mistake?

My Interest in this Topic

Im interested in learning about this topic because I find it very relevant. Living on a

college campus, I hear about sexual assault cases way more frequently than Id like to. I want to

know why it is so common for people to experience some form of sexual assault. Im interested

in finding out why men usually react harsher and are quicker to say it wasnt rape. I know that

often times there can be multiple accounts of what happened due to different perspectives and

drug or alcohol use. I hope to gain a better understanding of consent and the reasons behind

sexual assault, and with this I hope to be able to better gauge stories and help.
 Theuner 3

I have also been in a situation before that is relevant to this topic. However, while I

classify my situation as one thing, another person might consider it another, according to their

definitions and viewpoints. The line of consent, blurred as it is, is something I want to explore

and learn more about.

Next Steps
To continue my research on this topic, I plan to use the library database to find more

academic documents and articles. I will continue to monitor sites like RAINN.org to look for

updated statistics. I also plan to interview employees at the Counseling Center and Title IX office

on campus with general questions about their viewpoint of on campus sexual assault.

Hey, Dakota,

This was a great topic proposal and I think your exploration of consent is important and
necessary for all to do, at some point. Your introduction does a good job of getting the reader
interested. However, I would consider expanding more on your ideas and including more
background information in certain areas. You might also consider being more specific in certain
areas so that readers can be 100% sure of how certain facts relate to your inquiry question
(although much of it is common sense to many). Overall, good job!