Rape is like a scar. It just can't be washed away from a person's psyche. It is always there and I am sad that you are stuck with this legacy of one person's cruelty. I don't know what the proper response is to such a vicious crime. For the victim, it is never enough, for the perpetrator, twenty-five years is a long time.
But who is really responsible for these crimes? Something deep down in a person's formative years predisposes them to HATE, and rape is a hate crime. No one who truly loves women, could bring themselves to hurt these flowers of humanity. It can only be a person so distorted from reality by some awful happening in their past, who could carry out such an act. And in the realization of this, we find, not one victim, but two.
More must be done to try to understand what drives people to committ this crime. Mere punishment does not give us clues to spot potential rapists and work to drive the thought of such a crime out of their mind BEFORE they do it. Understanding is the key to solving mental problems. Sadly, our system only deals with the punishment aspectof the crime. And in the process, we have made very little progress in the prevention of this crime. Something different must be done. Hate must ultimately be turned into love. Sometimes, a simple act of kindness to another human being changes the course of their life. If you live your life, giving encouragement and kindness to everyone who touches your life, you will never know what good you do, but it has to help our human condition. Some years ago, I suffered a great tragedy and a person told me. "Live each day the best way you know how and the things you can't control, will not hurt you." These days I find great peace within my heart by living by that mantra. Try it.
Love Robert

Well, given what has happened to you I can see why you have such an extreme view on this issue.

However, I should remind you of the nature of our judicial system -- innocent until proven guilty, guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, better to set the guilty free than to convict the innocent.

Unfortunately, rape is a terrible crime that, physically, often leaves inconclusive evidence. Also, equally unfortunately, women sometimes lie about being raped. There usually are no witnesses; its one person's word against another's.

To sum it up, I don't know how these cases can be handled much differently.

There is no way to reverse this crime. (Maybe that is why you continue to fight so much -- to actually reverse the crime? In fairness, that would be reason enough for me.) I don't have a problem with the Judge asking for more information before sentencing. Justice was served. Take solace in that.