Preamble:
The monologue presented was adapted from the slam poem written by Kevin Kantor, titled ‘People You May Know.” This poem details the insurmountable impacts of stigma surrounding male rape victims and challenges the traditional attitudes of society in such circumstances. In the adapted monologue ‘Paper clip’, a police officer is speaking to a male victim of rape who is hesitant in pressing charges. The monologue explores this issue in the context of well-known cases of female sexual assault and expresses frustration in the lack of media coverage, fear to come forward and anonymity surrounding male cases from a personal and institutional perspective.
Paper Clip
One in thirty-three men you may know will experience sexual assault. …show more content…
You could walk out of here, knowing your suspected rapist continues to live a normal life, or you could let me finish this report and we can save potential victims from experiencing this fucking nightmare as well.
Let me write your story and bring you justice. Because God knows nobody else will do it for you. Too many people have walked out of here without admitting to themselves what they’ve been through. Hell, most don’t even make it into this precinct like you have. But you need to let this go.
Trust me. It’s going to hurt. It’ll be nothing compared to the weight you’ll carry knowing you could’ve helped somebody else.
I know you’re feeling violated. I know that shame you feel is eating your insides out, and I know every breath you breathe makes you feel like you’re back in his grasp. But if you could just hold it together for a few minutes longer, unfold your past, clip your paper memories together for a few minutes; be my paperclip.
This is how you fight back. This is how we fight back. Divulge in me and I can help you help yourself. For my brother, for you, for them;
Dive into this conviction.
Let him drown in it. And when you do, let those memories drown with him. Because you have to know that paper falls apart when it’s wet. Paperclips do
The monologue presented was adapted from the slam poem written by Kevin Kantor, titled ‘People You May Know.” This poem details the insurmountable impacts of stigma surrounding male rape victims and challenges the traditional attitudes of society in such circumstances. In the adapted monologue ‘Paper clip’, a police officer is speaking to a male victim of rape who is hesitant in pressing charges. The monologue explores this issue in the context of well-known cases of female sexual assault and expresses frustration in the lack of media coverage, fear to come forward and anonymity surrounding male cases from a personal and institutional perspective.
Paper Clip
One in thirty-three men you may know will experience sexual assault. …show more content…
You could walk out of here, knowing your suspected rapist continues to live a normal life, or you could let me finish this report and we can save potential victims from experiencing this fucking nightmare as well.
Let me write your story and bring you justice. Because God knows nobody else will do it for you. Too many people have walked out of here without admitting to themselves what they’ve been through. Hell, most don’t even make it into this precinct like you have. But you need to let this go.
Trust me. It’s going to hurt. It’ll be nothing compared to the weight you’ll carry knowing you could’ve helped somebody else.
I know you’re feeling violated. I know that shame you feel is eating your insides out, and I know every breath you breathe makes you feel like you’re back in his grasp. But if you could just hold it together for a few minutes longer, unfold your past, clip your paper memories together for a few minutes; be my paperclip.
This is how you fight back. This is how we fight back. Divulge in me and I can help you help yourself. For my brother, for you, for them;
Dive into this conviction.
Let him drown in it. And when you do, let those memories drown with him. Because you have to know that paper falls apart when it’s wet. Paperclips do