Why don't many rapists see jail time?

Answer 1

Many rapists do (thankfully) receive jail time - generally not enough.

Rape is one of the harder crimes to prove, it is often a case of "he said - she said", with little evidence and usually no witnesses, except for the victim.

Once at trial, it often seems the victim is left to defend their own actions leading up to and after the assault. This is the reason many victims never file a complaint, in addition to societies views on certain female behaviors that lawyers will try to make the victim out to look like she was "asking for it" - women end up feeling like they have been raped again - this time by the system that overlooks "boys acting like boys".

Fortunately we have made some strides in this area, over the last twenty years. Hopefully it continues - rape is not about "sex", it is about control - it is not an act of "sex" it is an act of violence. We have a ways to go before everyone understands this concept.