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Disturbance ends party

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Also by Aubre Andrus:

UW prepares for Halloween (October 20, 2005)
City prepares for Halloween (October 20, 2005)
In-Depth: State Street's balancing act (September 1, 2005)
In-Depth: Destination: class (November 3, 2005)

by Aubre Andrus

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

A house party Friday night on the 500 block of West Main Street ended with property damage and an alleged sexual assault.

Madison Police Department officers responded to a disturbance outside of the party at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday morning.

According to Captain Mary Schauf, assistant chief of police, the large house party was a classic example of student parties on campus.

“Our main concerns [are] the fights, disturbances, sexual assault and damage to property … This [party] happened to catch all issues,” Schauf said. “It blew out into a big mess.”

The hosts of the party told the police they had to remove five or six individuals from the party for causing problems, according to a release. Schauf said police officers identified a victim who had been battered by one of the individuals and a couple of arrests were made.

A fourth-degree sexual assault, which is a misdemeanor defined as sexual contact with person without their consent, was also reported to police, Schauf added, but the assault is currently under investigation. The maximum penalty for fourth-degree sexual assaults in Wisconsin is nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Schauf said there was extensive damage to the property. The release said the hosts of the party believe the individuals who they kicked out of the party returned to the house later to damage the property.

As soon as students invite random people to their house parties, problems are invited as well, Schauf said, adding that many people come downtown looking for parties. Although Schauf said she is not sure if this was the case at this party, it is common for people under 18 years old to show up at campus parties.

“The big thing is for hosts [to know that] if [they] are going to have people at [their] home, [they should] have people that [they] know or … trust,” Schauf said. “I don’t know how many of the victims were students but it’s not unusual for students to be victimized.”

According to Schauf, officers have not yet taken action for alcohol violations at the party.

“[Police] are planning on following up with the people that hosted the party,” Schauf said.

Anyone with information about the house party disturbances can call Crime Stoppers at 266-6014.

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Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 8:50am):

If only the drinking age was 18 instead of 21, things like this would happen a lot less frequently. Better bar drink specials would also be a great service. And an end to "bar time."

But if you want to force 18 year olds to drink covertly, encourage them to do so to excess by making it taboo (and limited), artifically inflate the cost of alcohol to further promote the black market that you created, and then get all of those that actually do go to bars out on the street together at 2 a.m. to drunkenly stagger/drive home, well, then keep your laws.

Personally, I'm for responsible drinking.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 9:32am):

"The maximum penalty for fourth-degree sexual assaults in Wisconsin is nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine." So if we look back at previous party fines the people living at the house could actually be fined more for having a party than someone who commits sexual assult!

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 12:12pm):

4th degree sexual assualt is like grabbing a boob though, not exactly rape

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 12:58pm):

"4th degree sexual assualt is like grabbing a boob though, not exactly rape"

Oh, ok...so as long as it wasn't "exactly rape," it's ok. Now I get it!

Kind of analogous to "involuntary manslaughter is like an accident though, so it's not really a big deal"

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 1:29pm):

Fourth Degree Sexual Assault is a misdemeanor and is defined as sexual contact with a person without consent of that person. The penalty for fourth degree sexual assault is imprisonment not to exceed nine months or a fine not to exceed $10,000, or both.

The law defines sexual contact as any intentional touching of the intimate parts of a person, either directly or through clothing, by any body part or by any object, if that intentional touching is for the purpose of sexually degrading or humiliating the victim, or for the sexual arousal or gratification of the assailant, or if the intentional touching contains the elements of actual or attempted battery.

http://danenet.wicip.org/dcccrsa/saissues/handbook/law.html

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 4:40pm):

"4th degree sexual assualt is like grabbing a boob though, not exactly rape"

You have some unknown guy grab you inappropriately and against your will and see how you feel about it. Oh wait, you're probably already a male.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 4:54pm):

Well, what does this say about the maturity and sense of responsibility of college students? I'm sure the hosts of that party will have some convincing excuses.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 4:59pm):

"If only the drinking age was 18 instead of 21, things like this would happen a lot less frequently."

Ah, I see the logic here: make the problem of underage drinking legal and the problem will go away. Nope, that just makes it one less crime statistic to record. IT'S CALLED A BRAIN, KID! LEARN TO THINK RESPONSIBLY AND IT'LL ALL SINK IN!!

God, I sure hope your parents aren't reading what you wrote.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 5:16pm):

"If only the drinking age was 18 instead of 21, things like this would happen a lot less frequently."

Probably wrote this the day after the party while he had a hangover. Good going kid, great logic! Oh, maybe you haven't taken that class yet "LOGIC" so you don't know what it means or how to apply.

You must be part of the "diversity" group they allow into UWM - the low IQ diversity group.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 5:37pm):

If you plan on attacking a previous post, try actually responding with intelligent points that counter whatever argument was proposed rather than doling out moronic insults.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 7:42pm):

When you're loaded how can you say there is 4th degree assault? I mean, common...boob/ass grabbin' is part of the game, isn't it?

Anonymous (March 1, 2005 @ 7:57pm):

ive had random girls grab my junk before... yea i wasnt thrilled about it but im not scared for life and im not gonna take them to court. Sometimes you have to learn to blow things off.