[BDS]

I agree that in most cases of child rape, the increase in danger for the child would probably be small. (Obviously, I'm just guessing, but I'd bet most pedophiles don't think they will get caught, and it is often a repeated offense, rather than a one-time incident, so the rapist has a sexual motive not to kill.) However, in some cases of violent rape (one time incidents, rather than repeated ones), the increased risk might be considerable, as it would be if we instituted the death penalty for other crimes.

If (to use a different example) my child were kidnapped, I would hardly be comforted by knowing that the kidnapper would get exactly the same punishment whether he killed my kid or not. I would prefer it if the kidnapper knew he faced a worse penalty for murder.