A defining characteristic of the prison experience in the United States is the fear of sexual violence. Since the 1930’s, prison rape has played a central part in the imprisonment literature. Evidence suggests that the problem of prison rape, while central to the United States experience, is not as pronounced in the United Kingdom. This finding, gleaned from prison argot and epidemiological studies, suggests that factors other than sexual deprivation and the pains of imprisonment are at play in the problem of prison rape in the United States. The author makes the argument that the problem of prison rape in the United States has emerged at least partially from the violent history of race relations in this country. Prison rape is the legacy emerging from slavery and lynch mobs. Two other contributing factors to the problem of prison rape are identified as: (1) the culture of violence that is prevalent in the United States, and (2) the cynical attitude of prison staff. The literature on prison rape prevention is pessimistic, although some insights are offered that mainly involve single cell accommodation and protection for at-risk inmates. Directions for future research are identified and involve the examination of further differences in criminology and penal focuses between the United Kingdom and the United States. References