The Case for Rape as a Hate Crime

So tonight during my monthly book club meeting, I was called into the hospital to be an advocate to a rape victim who was at the hospital. Needless to say, it was a trying case (as they usually are). As I was walking home from the hospital, I asked myself why rape is not a hate crime. The way I understand it, a hate crime is a crime motivated by hatred and bigotry towards a specific group of people. Now, its basically common knowledge that rape is a crime of power and intense anger/hatred. Sex rarely is the primary motivation for the assault, its just the means to an end. So why wasn't a hate crime attached to Ted Bundy's long list of convictions? He clearly was a vehement misogynist in addiction to being a violent psychopathic madman.

Of course this may not apply to every instance of rape. But this just makes sense to me. I feel strongly that if a determination of criteria is met, a hate crime should be tacked on to an individual's sentence. I'd be interested to know what people think?

hebetude -- n. Dullness of mind; mental lethargy

"Illusion is the first of all pleasures"
--- Oscar Wilde