Forgiveness

An interesting thing on the radio tonight. Jess had talk-back on in the car and there was this girl talking about a rape and convictions of the guys who were involved and the announcer asks her if she's forgiven them. Where does forgiveness fit in the secular, what meaning can it possibly have? Sure we teach little kids to say sorry regardless of religion, it's polite, it's the right thing to do. But for what we count as the big stuff like rape, like murder. Why should you - if you are not a Christian or of another religion that finds it important, forgive? What benefit does it have to you? Is it a feel good? If so, then why don't people think about why? Who does it help? Is it simply a courtesy extended to the other human being? It makes absoultely no sense.