The man is at fault in both cases also, sure ~ but not, surely to the very same degree of culpability?

I think we will just have to disagree on that one, M. I have said before that I DO believe there can be mitigation and therefrore less culpability in cases of murder and theft. Someone may feel threatened enough to kill another person or may steal to ensure that he or his family can live. That is mitigation because the perpetrators life or close ones were at risk. I do NOT however believe that there can be any sensible mitigation in a rape case. Frustrated libido is no excuse as far as I am concerned but I am willing to concede that other people may disagree. In fact, as I have also pointed out before, you do have the law behind you because the judiciary agree!

DeG