I think the Blockbuster killing was specific enough angst, the rape was just overkill because it clouded an idea with potential by the equivalent of shouting "FIRE!" in a crowded theater. Once someone gets raped, you can't make the story about anything else. And since it was never really dealt with, it's just this big pile of narm waiting for a hack writer to use it later for wangst. This would've been a much stronger story if some editor had put his foot down and said "Uh, yeah, NO."