Actually they can have such rights. In 18 states, a rapist can have virtually the same rights as any other father. However, 32 state have statutes that either extinguish or severly limit a rapist's parental rights (although in 12 of those states the father must have first been convicted of the rape before the relevant statute can take effect).If you google your question, you will find sites and/or articles that give breakdowns of the laws for each state. For further information, you can also consult with an attorney who specializes in child custody cases; they can further advise you.