Victim reports sexual assault

Enlarge image

SUNDEEP MALLADI/Herald photo

Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.

Related Stories:

• Woman reports assault on Henry (October 13, 2008)
• Sexual assault awareness videos premiere (April 24, 2002)
• Sexual assault sends Milwaukee man to jail for 1 year (January 26, 2004)
• Sexual assault numbers place UW at top of Big Ten (January 22, 2002)
• ASM hosts town-hall meeting to discuss sexual assault (November 15, 2001)

Also by Courtney Johnson:

• Construction pops up on State Street this spring (November 6, 2007)
• Woods ahead in fundraising race (March 28, 2007)
• E-mail sparks privacy concern (October 9, 2007)
• Big Ten Network reaches deal with UW housing (August 31, 2007)
• City agency to run Halloween entertainment (May 10, 2007)

Sharing Tools:

E-mail this article:

Your e-mail address:

Recipient e-mail address:

Optional message:

Share on:

• Facebook
• Digg
• Newsvine
• reddit
• StumbleUpon
• delicious
• Google
• Yahoo! My Web
• BlogMarks
• Linkroll
• Simpy

• Spurl
• Connotea
• Fark
• Feed Me Links

• Magnolia
• BlinkList
• Sphere
• LinkedIn

• Furl
• Technorati
• AddToAny
• Permalink

by Courtney Johnson

Tuesday, March 13, 2007 00:00

A 23-year-old Madison woman was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted Saturday morning after leaving a local bar.

According to a report from the Madison Police Department, the victim was leaving a downtown bar at closing time when she ended up in a van and was "violently sexually assaulted" in the vehicle after being driven to another location.

The suspects, according to the report, are two Hispanic males, one in his early 20s with an average build and a dark T-shirt and jeans.

MPD Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said the victim was treated at a local hospital and has since been released. The MPD and University of Wisconsin Communications do not yet know if the victim was a UW student.

This is the second campus-area sexual assault reported in the past week. Two unknown men allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old UW student on the 1000 block of Spring Street March 3. That case is also still under investigation, and no suspects have been arrested.

Hanson said it is not yet known if this assault can be connected with others in the area.

"From our standpoint, we are taking this investigation seriously and are trying to figure out what happened," Hanson said. "It would be too early to connect this with other assaults at this point."

Ald. Judy Olson, District 6, whose district encompasses the 500 block of East Wilson Street, said this neighborhood has occasionally seen problems with assaults.

"It's not been frequent; it's certainly not been routine, but I think most people who live there or frequent the entertainment spots usually know to be careful, not walk alone and know what's around you," Olson said. "It always comes as a shock and a reminder that we have more work to do."

Olson said the city's new Downtown Safety Plan, which was created in part to prevent the recent increase in assaults and muggings, might need to be revisited in the future to expand its target area. Currently, the plan focuses on the campus and State Street area.

According to the police report, when the van stopped after picking up the victim the night of the incident, one suspect went inside a residence, while the other agreed to take the woman home. However, the report said the suspect instead drove the victim to another location, sexually assaulted her, and then dropped the woman off on the 500 block of East Wilson Street.

"The majority of sexual assaults occur between acquaintances," Hanson said. "For this to be a stranger is outside the norm, but then for it to be unique is the fact that they're then transporting them elsewhere."

As of press time, no arrests have been made in this investigation. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the MPD or Crime Stoppers.