As for the broader question, this seems like a real issue, and I'm no exception. For instance, even in white on black stories, I've only used that word, the word that shall not be uttered, in one story, and I had to steel myself to do it. I believe I noted the irony of the situation even then:
Rapist: "Take it all, you filthy fuck-hole bitch! You fucking cunt-faced slag whore ni..."
Girl: "Careful, whitey, I only go so far!"
But that word has a particularly intense power in English these days. I suspect on other topics, if someone avoids current events or un-PC situations its for concern that readers will think the story is about the issue, and not about the good old-timey rape. I have absolutely, positively zero concern, for instance, in portraying Muslim girls as victims of anything that comes along, but I think I have only one story about it, and that I wrote as part of a challenge. The reason, now that I think about it: Writing Muslim girls means thinking about Islam, and nothing is less sexy than Islam. PC? Not in the slightest, but the effect seems to be the same.
Well, I'm just rambling now.