If the question had been murder vs. rape, I would've said murder. But killing in general?

Like coolestguyever said, killing has a ton of variables: Who, by whom, how, why etc. Ie. stalking and killing a child in cold blood would be universally considered to be completely reprehensible, while gunning down a brutal dictator would probably be accepted, even lauded by some people. Death penalty (essentially government-sanctioned murder IMO) is still considered a valid form of punishment, and I don't think any regime has a "rape-penalty" for any crime. Also, IIRC, killings tend to carry much higher sentences than rapes do.

Another thing to consider is that killing is final, while a rape victim can still recover from both the mental and physical damage. On the other hand, rape can also be considered as a form of torture, and in the case of rape, the suffering can last for a lifetime.

...

If I personally had to choose between getting killed or raped, I'd take the latter option. As for which one is worse:

I'll just say that both killing and raping suck immensely and leave it at that.

The more disturbed I got by this thread, the more i hoped you'd give your viewpoint Lewis. At least you've undoubtedly seen a lot of victims of both.

But come on Happyperson... gleeing in anticipation of rape and murder stories? Damn dude.

And then BHR goes and takes the cake. I'm still hoping it's a joke. That it's just Leo's alt trying to fuck with us. But damn, seriously? Your as much a nutter as the Italian politician akin to release rapists whose vicims wore skirts.
There are enough rape victims who did not hang with the wrong crowd or anything. Victims who would ride through the park and where suddenly yanked from their bycicle. Or childeren who are raped by familymembers. Did they make the wrong decision to be born in that family?

Murder is worse than Rape, but only just, commiting either should see you given a life sentence in jail.

Since I find myself defending a rape game in the gaming forums, might as well put my two-cents in here...

Assuming that this is murder vs. rape, I'll go with murder being "worse."  To me, life is the most crucial thing, because everything else that I love depends on life to make it go.

Though I don't want to imagine any of it, I would prefer my S.O. to be raped than murdered, because post-rape I would hope that we could still find happiness for her, and together.  And I would myself rather be raped than murdered, for much the same reason--I would still try to seek out a happy life.  After being murdered... I wouldn't have much seeking to do.

Interestingly, I think that society feels that rape is the worse crime.  Often there is some odd degree of fascination with or sympathy for the most horrendous murderers (consider the love letters that serial killers get, or the popularity of the Unabomber's manifesto).  People ususally just hate rapists and call for their execution and/or castration.

Also, I'm reminded of a broadcast of Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles I saw about a year ago.  There's a famous scene where bad guys are being interviewed for an outlaw position:

"What are your qualifications?" the interviewer asks.
"Rape, murder, arson and rape," the outlaw responds. 
"You said 'rape' twice."
"I like rape."

Well, in the broadcast version, the word rape was actually bleeped out (which of course absolutely destroys the comedy of the sequence)... but the words murder and arson were left in.

raping

Rape, it's mentally traumatizing. At least with murder, the person doesn't remember it.

Killing. Reminds me of a fantastic clint eastwood Unforgiven quote
"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have"

Both are worse.

Killing then raping is just wrong in every sense of the idea. ew.

Its not rape if they are already dead. Alright, just broke my own rule about not making rape jokes, but that one was too good to pass up.

I'm pretty sure their is a supreme court ruling murder > rape.
You can't execute someone for rape, it's "too cruel" or something.