Gun rights are not just the solution to preventing mass-rape and other street crimes, they are also a symbol.
One, a symbol for the fallibility of government. A government should fear its citizens, and an armed population is a fearsome population.
Two, a symbol that human lives do indeed matter. If I take away your means of protecting yourself and your family, while not being able to guarantee that I will be there to protect you, I implicitly tell you that your lives don't mean much to me.
Three, a symbol that the government trusts its citizens. The presumtion of innocence is effectively abolished when you treat every citizen like a common criminal. Why should a state respect a population of criminals, and why should the people respect a state that treats them like criminals?