NEWS
Man assaults 18-year-old woman on Park Street
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Also by Megan Costello:
- High-rise on horizon for downtown (November 30, 2004)
- 27-story complex stirs urban growth debate (April 7, 2005)
- Judge dismisses drink special suit (April 8, 2005)
- Campus joins fight against cancer (April 21, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Student victim of crime (October 4, 2004)
- Sexual assault hits University Avenue (September 6, 2006)
- Student victim of sex assault (November 29, 2004)
- Two sexual assaults early Sunday morning (January 26, 2004)
- Student target of weekend robbery (October 11, 2004)
by Megan Costello
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
An 18-year-old female from Madison was sexually assaulted on the 100 block of North Park Street at shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday morning.
According to a Madison police release, the suspect is described as a Hispanic or Asian male, 5-foot-2, weighing between 120-130 pounds. He is described as having black hair and eyes and was wearing a black T-shirt with blue jeans and a silver chain around his neck with a pendant during the assault.
The female victim was walking alone on Park Street after traveling part of the way home with a friend.
According to Madison Public Information Officer Emily Samson, the suspect approached the victim from behind and asked her for a lighter and a cigarette.
The victim and suspect engaged in conversation when the suspect lifted the victim’s coat and put his hands between her legs. The unidentified suspect then physically turned her around and thrust his body against hers repeatedly while she was facing away, according to the release.
The victim told police that she yelled at the suspect loudly throughout this assault and that he did let her go and run away from the area of the incident.
Samson added there was a male in the area that did not witness the assault but saw the female and the suspect talking before it occurred.
The male witness told officers the female seemed uncomfortable during the conversation, Samson said.
The witness also heard the female’s screams and ran back to her as the suspect fled on foot.
“The victim did have a cell phone on her,” Samson said. “[S]he did dial a friend’s number on her cell phone during her exchange with the suspect which is good thinking, but you can’t rely on that.”
Samson said although telling a friend where you are can help, it still could lead to assault.
“It’s important to not to be by yourself at four in the morning, even if you think you only have two blocks left to walk — a lot can happen in two blocks,” Samson said.
Jane Goemans, SAFE Nighttime Services Coordinator, said no one has to walk home alone and there are a number of options, including getting picked up or walked.
Goemans said although SAFEwalk has boundaries, there are portions of campus that fall into flexible areas were walkers will take people home.
“We will certainly walk people within the area within boundaries,” Goemans said.
SAFEwalk does not operate past 1 a.m. although SAFEcab, a program providing students with a free taxi service, runs until 3 a.m., 6 a.m. during finals week.
Goemans suggested a cab ride would be the best option for students after 3 a.m.
She added she thinks Madison is a safe community and people tend to think of where they live as a safe place, despite a number of assaults this semester.
“When you go out, have a plan on how to get back home,” Goemans said. “Whether that means going with a friend, planning for a SAFEwalk or ride — know how you’re going to get home before you go out.”
Samson, who worked as a SAFEwalker during college, urged students to use the program.
“Some people may find it a little inconvenient to wait five to 10 minutes [for a walker], but when opposed to possibly [being] assaulted, it’s worth it,” Samson said.
This assault follows a previous sexual assault that occurred on the 100 block of Langdon Street around midnight Nov. 21. The woman entered the front door of her security-locked building and walked up the stairwell.
She was then grabbed from behind and pushed down the stairs.
Her unknown male attacker attempted to rip off her clothing items while she struggled for approximately 20 seconds. The victim was able to break free from her attacker, flee to a nearby room and call police.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 12:46pm):
So some guy attacked somebody! There are women who attack little kids, like the one in Gloucester, Mass. who, along with her loser boyfriend, stripped her daughter down and took pictures so they could post them on the Internet. Women schoolteachers get into bed with other people's kids all the time. Why am I pissed? Because I know for a fact that feminists are gonna come out of the woodwork and bitch about men this, men that! It happens every time!
The day women acknowledge tha fact that there are also women sexual predators will be the day I care to hear about some broad being assaulted. You can't fight a problem by only going after half the perpetrators. Who gives a shit?!
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 1:34pm):
I agree that there are abusers who are females and that this problem is pretty glossed over. However, you have a really sick attitude about it. What if it were your sister, girlfriend, or cousin? I doubt you'd have the same attitude.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 1:34pm):
I agree that there are abusers who are females and that this problem is pretty glossed over. However, you have a really sick attitude about it. What if it were your sister, girlfriend, or cousin? I doubt you'd have the same attitude.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 2:25pm):
"What if it were your sister, girlfriend, or cousin? I doubt you'd have the same attitude."
Hell no it wouldn't change my attitude. My sister married three times and all three of those guys were really decent guys. She would come home drunk out of her mind while the guys were calling all the bars and the detox center, wondering if she was OK. Our parents kept putting up with her bullshit at the expense of the rest of the family. Patience was a waste of time. Every loser boyfriend she brought home would beat up on me and my younger brother. Then they'd both trash the house and leave a mess for us to clean up. Then she goes and accuses everyone of us of sexually abusing her as a child, all in a futile attempt to blame her self-destructive lifestyle on someone else. What bullshit! Finally, she slammed her car into a tree, a brand new car that Dad bought for her-instead of paying my younger brother's college tuition-a judge got tired of her crap and put her away for a year in a residential treatment program, she won't drive ever again.
Today, she still won't get her shit together. Now she does a lot more than just straight-shooters. She does cocaine, meth, you name it. Her dealer could get the college degree she could've gotten on the money she spent on drugs! She threw her whole friggin' life away on that shit, all because she wanted to fit in with the cool people!
Too many women like her have screwed up their own lives on their own free will. Then they try to put the blame on a male-dominated society. Then they go out on the street and piss off at every guy they can get their hands on. And all these big assholes who stick up for these cunts have to pretend they care, to the point where they are beating the hell out of every single guy these bitches tell them to. If they don't then they won't get any pussy. Aw, too bad! You can bitch all you want about men who screw up their own lives the same way, but you are gonna piss of at every single fucking guy out there, make no exceptions, then to hell with you!
So you see, there are some perfectly good reasons why more and more men are sick and tired of haveing to give a shit about a bunch of loser women who aren't worth giving a shit about. I'm not wasting my sympathy on someone who wouldn't care what happens to me. Why should I? What's my obligation? Give me one good reason, besides that you and all your fucked-up friends will gang up on me. You don't care about me, so I don't care about you. Let's see how YOU like a little apathy for once! From now on, I want to hear only stories about the shit women do. There has been an inbalance in reporting the news for way too long. I also want to know why women suddenly clam up every time a news story comes out about women screwing 13-year-olds like they think it's a woman's right. I'm serious! There are women who think they can get away with murder, just because they're women! Let's hear how the average female feels about that before we are subjected to another barrage of anti-male rhetoric. Give us something different for a change.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 2:46pm):
"I'm not wasting my sympathy on someone who wouldn't care what happens to me."
How do you know the victim in this case wouldn't have sympathy for you if you were attacked on the street? Did you ask her?
You need therapy, my friend.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 3:56pm):
I agree... and I think we've gotten to the root of the problem. The "femi-nazis" as they are sometimes called, seem to assume that all men are inherently bad, violent people. He is stooping to their level by turning this foolishness on its head and assuming all women are drunk, idiotic people who are even worse than men could possibly be, and don't take care of themselves. If you want people to be open-minded about you, you have to be open-minded about them.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 4:11pm):
Can't spell "libelous headline" without the BH. good job.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 4:27pm):
"How do you know the victim in this case wouldn't have sympathy for you if you were attacked on the street? Did you ask her?"
There are so many anti-male mentalities in this town that it really goes without asking, let alone without saying. Men get assaulted every day in this world, but feminists don't care at all. Why should anyone care about them? By the way, I'm still waiting to hear the feminist take on women who sexually abuse minors. Anyone?
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 5:02pm):
Here's a thought: Feminists have been howling for decades about the sexually exploitation of women through pornography. Well surprise, surprise! Women are in on the act too! Here's a few tidbits:
-Over 70% of porn websites are owned and managed by women, with many of them featuring the website owners themselves.
-An Internet kiddie porn ring in Czeckoslovakia was broken up in 1998. The entire illegal operation was run by a woman who evaded arrest by transferring all money earned through pay websites to a Swiss bank and then fleeing to France.
-In San Francisco, high school girls are pimping other girls out to johns right outside the schools.
-In Gloucester, MA, a woman and her boyfriend are now facing criminal charges for photographing her daughter and posting the photos on the Internet. The woman was a willing accomplice.
There is a growing list of sex crimes now being committed by women, the same type of sex crimes that were once thought to be committed only by men. And while it has traditionally been the belief that men had always made up the majority of perpetrators, experts everywhere are beginning to question the validity of all studies that claim to produce such conclusions. Has there been a gender bias all along? And why are women's advocates so strangely silent when the topic of women sexual predators is brought up?
The reason there is so much backlash against the women's movement, or at least apathy, is because people are tired of hearing only half the story. Sexual predators come in all varieties. To single out all men and only men is not only biased, but it allows the problem to persist. Women predators will continue to abuse at will without concern for consequences. Many women feel that, because they're women, they can get away with it.
At the same time feminists attribute sex crimes against women and children to a "rape culture", there are women who happily perpetuate the problem by playing an active, voluntary role in that culture. And when they get caught, they simply fall back on the same tired old excuse: "I was abused as a child."
Come on, Jefferey Dahmer and David Berkowitz were never abused, and look at the body counts they racked up!
So until the collective mentality that men are persona non grata in all matters humanitarian, the wall of apathy and the vollies of backlash will continue. It was only a matter of time before it all hit the fan. If you want positive change, everyone must share the benefit, not the select few who feel that they are solely entitled.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 5:43pm):
"Can't spell "libelous headline" without the BH. good job."
Why is it libelous?
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 6:01pm):
"Why is it libelous?"
Because this is just an allegation at this point. There is no proof an assault occurred, just a criminal complaint that alleges an assault occurred.
Still not as bad as "Pipe bomber writes Herald" though. That was classic.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 7:45pm):
"By the way, I'm still waiting to hear the feminist take on women who sexually abuse minors."
It's 7:45pm and I'm STILL waiting.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 8:12pm):
It's now 7:59 pm. Here's the feminist take on women who sexually abuse minors, at least from my perspective: they're evil. They give women a bad name. They deserve to be punished to the greatest extent the law allows, if not more. It's a shame that some judges tend to give lighter sentences to women who sexually abuse minors than they do to men who commit the same crimes -- and anyone who claims to be a feminist but doesn't think this is unfair doesn't really believe in full equality between the sexes.
But just because I'm a feminist doesn't mean that I don't care when men are assaulted. My brother is a soldier fighting in Afghanistan; are you saying I don't care when terrorists try to kill him? My favorite cousin was stabbed when he was mugged in high school; do you really think I didn't care about that? I'm only a little over 5 feet tall and 100 pounds and it would be a lot easier for someone to attack me than most men; shouldn't I be worried, then, when men are attacked?
To the poster who says he doesn't care about the victim in this attack because she wouldn't care about him, I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time with your sister. But I haven't screwed up my life, and neither have most of the women around here, and I don't think we deserve the scorn you seem to heap upon all women. That's just as wrong as those women you call feminazis who hate all men. You don't deserve to be treated like a filthy animal just because you're a man, and we don't deserve to be easy prey for truly evil men just because some women are obnoxious.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 8:50pm):
"and we don't deserve to be easy prey for truly evil men just because some women are obnoxious."
We're not talking about just women who are obnoxious. We're talking about women who are just a violent and hostile as the worst men, honey!
"That's just as wrong as those women you call feminazis who hate all men."
The guy didn't actually use the word feminazi, although the word fits.
Now I'd like to add to his point:
You know how every time a woman is assaulted or even murdered, too many guys storm around acting like they're pissed about it when the truth is they're just trying to make themselves look good and decent in the eyes of their girlfriends? Ever notice how they just treat every other man like a criminal, as if they were the only men in the world who are NOT rapists? Some of these assholes go as far as punching somebody out just out of anger. These assholes only drive people to apathy. And they do it to impress you. Men like that are just as dangerous as any rapist. Imagine coming home from class and having some overzealous shithead accosting you right inside the front door, yelling "And it's fucking men like you, motherfucker, who go around raping women. You bastards deserve to be castrated and hung up by your fucking balls!!!" Happened to me almost a year ago. I didn't even know what the hell happened or why that psychotic piece of shit decided to get up in MY face about it. He didn't even bother to notice that I walk with a leg brace. How the hell could I possibly attack anyone, let alone defend myself? What feminist bitch brainwashed THAT moron into acting that way?
And THAT is why so many men are turning their backs on the womens movement. Until you all start treating decent men with the respect they deserve, men will continue to defect from the ranks. Lots of innocent men are reconsidering where they lay their sympathies, and we are really getting fed up with hearing that you are sympathetic. If you really are, then prove it by speaking out against male-bashers and their ignorant, go-ballistic-and-maybe-I'll-get-laid male co-horts. Speak up about men who have been in prison for rapes they never committed, only to be freed after twenty-some-odd years thanks to DNA testing. Voice your disgust that Steve Avery only got $25,000 for the eighteen years he served. Give us some kind of assurance that you are really serious and that you really care. End of sermon.
Anonymous (December 7, 2004 @ 11:15pm):
"If you really are, then prove it by speaking out against male-bashers and their ignorant, go-ballistic-and-maybe-I'll-get-laid male co-horts."
Done.
"Speak up about men who have been in prison for rapes they never committed, only to be freed after twenty-some-odd years thanks to DNA testing."
Done. I even did some work for the Innocence Project.
"Voice your disgust that Steve Avery only got $25,000 for the eighteen years he served."
Did that too.
Now why don't you cut me and women like me some slack?
Anonymous (December 8, 2004 @ 12:45am):
"Now why don't you cut me and women like me some slack?"
Done. Now how about educating all the male-bashers about cutting decent men some slack? They are the ones still getting shit on, by male-bashers and the men who love them.
Anonymous (December 8, 2004 @ 1:35am):
"Now why don't you cut me and women like me some slack?"
Considering the feminist-driven anti-male culture in this town, nice guys are the ones who need to be cut some slack.
I see men and women going to bars where there's nothing but trouble. But they go anyway! Then I see so many women with their boyfriends in tow making belligerent cunts of themselves towards guys who aren't even bothering anybody, and daring the guys to do anything about it lest the boyfriend beats the guy up. Lots of women pull that shit just because they think they can get away with it. And what about women who go around calling gay men "faggots?" Apparently, if you have a big-ass boyfriend, you can get away with just about any form of anti-social behavior. But I guess we'll never hear decent women like you speak up about it, will we?
So now you know why more and more men could care less if you get raped, kidnapped or murdered. Men are not here for you to manipulate. You're lucky most men still don't have the guts to tell you to fuck off, mostly out of fear that you'll let it out that they're gay, a tactic that seems work rather well on a lot of men. It's your word against his and he usually loses. Maybe we men should be the ones who should start carrying the pepper spray. So screw ya, bunch of man-hating bitches. I don't care, I don't have to.
Anonymous (December 8, 2004 @ 2:09am):
I agree with the last poster. While everyone may have a moral obligation to ensure the safety of others in the community, no one has an obligation to support the hostile behavior of the one demographic that gets targeted the most: women. I've dated women who would behave like borderline psychos, only because they had some Navy SEAL standing right next to them. It's not just the expectation that most women have, that the man will automatically mow down everyone in her path. I've lost count of the number of times I've been called upon to beat up a guy half my size for the most ridiculous reasons, mostly by women who just wanted to see me work somebody over. It is also the embarassment that I feel that somehow I must defend her "right" to make a total spoiled brat of herself. Other people in a crowd will look at me as some kind of impotent loser, who acts on her every command, who has no control over his own life. That's a girlfriend every decent guy would be better off without. And unfortunately, there are a lot more women like that than you or I would care to count. I believe that best explains the wave of backlash these days against women's causes.
Women have done a fine job by learning to dump men who turn out to be abusive. It's time men learned to do the same. You're no less of a man by sticking up for yourself, and certainly not gay just because you disapprove of her unwarranted animosity toward you or anyone else. When that day comes, we'll decide what issues are important to us.
Anonymous (December 8, 2004 @ 2:30am):
I'm a big guy too. I work out with weights, I'm into kickboxing and I too aminstinctively inclined to defend those who are not able to defend themselves. But on many occasions I've been asked to accompany women who actually want go places where they know they're not going to be safe. I'm talking about bars where there have been shootings and barfights almost nightly. Even big guys like me would rather go someplace quiet. Why do so many women insist on living dangerously?
I've even had women ask me to accompany them while they're talking to a stranger. If they don't feel safe talking to the guy, shy do they even want to talk to him at all? The most common reason: "Oh, I just wanna ask him something." If it's just something, then it must not be important enough that you really need to risk your own safety. Women need to realize that situations like these make most men feel uncomfortable. We do not want to be perceived as bullies who unconditionally back you up every time you want to stir it up with someone else. That's a reputation I don't need. I'm tired of facing the risk of getting my head blown off or beaten unconscious by a gang of bikers with pool cues because my date had one tequilla too many and started shooting her mouth off. Yeah, it's just as lethal for big guy like me out there. Did the thought ever cross anyone's mind?
Getting on to the original story, I think it's a little strange that a woman would be out at such an ungodly hour when she could have called a taxi. Most men, including myself, wouldn't take the risk she took! There are plenty of options she could have taken advantage of, and walking alone was the one she chose. I'm not saying she's to blame, but she could have avoided the attack by finding another means of getting home.
Jane Benzschawel (December 8, 2004 @ 2:11pm):
Jesus Christ. Remember how this story was about a woman being attacked? A WOMAN. Not a man. So you're angry that all the media covers is males attacking females. You would be able to sleep better at night (you really super nice guys who have been using the words cunt, bitch, slut, etc to describe the ENTIRE female-identified gender) if women attacked men and children as much as men attacked men, women, and children. I see you don't give a shit about women attacking women. Guess what? Men do attack the rest of society at a disproportionately higher rate than women do. That is a fact my friends. This does not mean that women have never attacked anybody. But it doesn't mean that the second that you are able to identify yourself with the rapists means that you should lash out and say that everybody else is too. Just because women can be rapists and assaulters doesn't make it right. So put your testosterone to rest, being male, you're not persecuted, you're privileged. Deal with it. You want to complain about your lot in life? You've had bad experiences? Why should anybody ever care if you don't care about theirs? Oh wait, somebody already said that. I think that was the misogynist from the start. You all are shameful. Attacking this woman verbally after she is physically attacked. Then you blame her for being a victim. If you can't sleep at night, maybe it is because you can identify a little too closely with the assaulter. And that, my brothers, is not our fault. You all have said some of the most ignorant, terrible things I have ever heard. Its nice that you can remain anonymous while saying this, that way nobody who knows you will have to associate this with you. And guess what, I've been raped three times. I'm guessing you will tell me that's probably my fault too. I don't have a boyfriend, I don't have a girlfriend for that matter, I don't go around bashing anyone, I don't assault anyone. I'm a goddamn model citizen. I'm also a woman. Its really nice to read this and hear that after I've been raped three times by men, that somehow now I'M the assaulter, the rapist, the bad guy- note that nobody says bad girl unless they're talking about her sexuality. This experience has blown my mind. I appreciate all of you showing me what I have to work against. Feminism simply means peace. It means equality for all. I don't think anybody here has any idea what peace and equality mean, so before you go hatemongering on feminists, try to get a basic grasp on such abstract theories as kindness, compassion, and caring. Then maybe you will start to understand feminism. If you still hate it after understanding these things, then you are a privileged white guy who loves his status quo. Simple as that.
Anonymous (December 9, 2004 @ 3:31am):
I had an almost identical encounter with a man sharing the suspect's description at about 3 am Saturday morning. I didn't even think to report it until I was telling a friend about my experience and she told me about this article. Now I wonder if I had reported it on time if this woman would have been assaulted.
Anonymous (December 9, 2004 @ 3:36pm):
To that last poster. Do NOT blame this woman's assault on yourself...blame it on the man who violated her. Don't listen to anything these previous people have said in these responses...but listen to what Jane and myself have to tell you. What this man did to you was WRONG-remember that. The blame is 100% on him. If you feel that you need assistance in coping with your assault call the Dane County Rape Crisis Center at 608-251-5126.
-Jenny S.- PAVE Volunteer
Anonymous (January 11, 2005 @ 4:06pm):
While I am much to jaded to be shocked by any kind of assault perpetrated on another human I am always deeply saddened and suprised by the volitial attitude and the pervasive lack of human decency toward the people who experience assaults, particluarly sexual assaults as well as the lack of mental ability to grasp the complexity of such an event and issue. To read these words by students of UW who villify a woman when she is attacked or even for merely exisiting as female not only shows the commenters inablity to be empathetic but their inabilty to have even the meakest trace of humanity. How dissapointing to read these posts and kow the men, and some women of the UW campus do not have the capacity to take this time of learning and this place of study and investigation (personal and social) and use it to invest in their mind and their own actions by word or deed to change the world. Rather that speaking in a dialogue and fostering a better understanding and awareness of the issues at hand in sexual assault and the nature of interactions between males and females we have seen in print on this posting the failure of people to defend social justice or to even care about it. What a waste it is that those persons who posted with anger and the talk and attitude of a 12 year are even in this school. Sexual assault and rape, and or attempted rape are beyond the comprehension or the heart of such people. To know you walk the campus shoulder to shoulder with the rest of us speaks volumes about the mental and physical space we spend each day in. You make it a scary place unsafe for women and for those men who don't meet your standard of manhood. YOu make it unsafe mentally and physically. I imagine you are quite proud of that, probably even find it funny. Justice is not a joke and your social hatred of women and men who are truly harmed may be the "cool" way to be for alot of UW kids but we are not all like that. To the girls who have been attacked at this school and to the guys who have been harmed here too there are those of us who care and who are willing to keep working to find ways to end the violence and hatred.
