Ex-Alabama deputy sheriff sentenced for rape

*Ex-Alabama deputy sheriff sentenced to prison for [rape of] woman in his custody.*

I approve of the long sentence of 12 years for rape, but given that the convict committed the crime on duty as an official thug, that perhaps calls for a longer sentence.

The article states clearly that what he did was coerce her to have sex with him. The simple and clear term for that is "rape". But the article avoids that term entirely and replaces it with the vague term "sexual assault". Why do this?

In the antiglossary entry linked to just above, I propose an explanation for this.