I think part of the reason why Rape is often kept secret or hidden by victims or the news is because we censor it in the media. It is all too often seen as something society doesn't want to face or confront because it's directly related to Sex and American culture encourages us to believe that Sex is a immoral act that should be kept hidden. Americans are encouraged to look down on the act of sex itself and be embarrassed to look at sexual images. Add to that sexual crime and the victim being a women only encourages a bias where people think it should be censored or hidden.
As a direct result rape of a women is put on this pedestal of being worse then brutal assaults, mutilation, torture or murder. All of which we see plenty of in various forms of media with rarely any censorship at all.
Using the excuse that rape of women is more common then murder, brutal assault, mutilation, torture or rape of men and should censored in media as a result is completely absurd.
The only way for a society to tackle the issue of rape is to face it head on. Just think of all the war films and media we have had over the years showing the horrible truth of War. Did it encourage more people to want to go to war or less? In my experience exposure to the disgusting and horrible reality's of this world encourages people to NOT be part of them reality's.
Seeing how horrible rape is on every emotional level in films and media would have a positive impact on society. It would expose all the facets of that act and how devastating it is for everyone involved. Talking about it doesn't have the same impact as showing it in all it's detail. It would expose both men and women to all the truths of that act and it WOULD go a long way to deterring others from committing it.
People are not born with empathy and understanding towards each other. It's something we learn or acquire through experience. Not to be sexist or make excuses but people who haven't seen the horrors of a act or the terrible results are more likely to commit that act then someone who has seen first hand the suffering it causes.
It might seem simplistic in nature but empathy prevents crime. When you expose society to the horrible emotional impacts a crime has on a person all the excuses that someone could come up with to justify a act dies in their throat or prevents them from even considering that course. All human beings have monsters inside them and it's only their empathy and understanding that keeps them monsters in check. Ignorance, lack of understanding/empathy and self justification on the other hand let inner demons loose and ruin both the lives of the victim, the criminal themselves and the family's in that situation.
Expose the world to the horrible reality's of all crimes and all the emotions that go with it and you teach both empathy and love for people around you. Of course there will always be sociopaths and psychopaths that are incapable of such feelings but at least them who are capable will more likely not grow up ignorant of the reality's their actions make create if they let slip their inner demons for a second.