To be honest, i think its how things should be. Caps should be pathetic against small craft and should be backed up by escorts for every small runaround.
Cruisers are artilery right? Well, you have support for that, as you dont shoot flies with a rpg.
Sure its frustrating that a 200mil worth of tech cannot defent itself against a 7mil worth pewpew ship, but it is how things are. Sorry. But its perfectly in Rp.