Yes, since it has been the common theme of old yaoi back then, ppl took rape in stride. It's a good thing majority of old yaoi had spark in them and seme (and occasionally power uke) try to redeem themselves so you end up liking the characters anyway. And honestly, it's because of their age and the era they belong to that rape elements in them were tolerable or forgivable. But now that there are yaoi that are just as good, hot or sexy without the rape element, newer releases of yaoi that have rape element in them understandably receive harsher reactions.
It's especially frustrating for stories where you think "oh my god if you have just waited or asked him out directly, you wouldn't have had to rape and hurt him since you guys liked each other in the first place!" Even worse when seme is trying to redeem himself/asking for forgiveness for hurting uke in the past by wooing him but he fucks up in the middle or near the end and rapes him again. It's just so stupid sometimes, you know what I mean?
Back in my day, Yaoi was a scarce commodity. You got to see a lot of effed up stuff on the journey to finding the good stuff. This kind is nothing.