News
Transcript of Herald’s interview with rape victim
Student discusses what happened, how incident has affected her
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Signe Brewster and Kevin Bargnes:
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
Related Stories: Alleged rape at Sigma Chi
Victim comes forward, reveals shocking story
On Feb. 25, The Badger Herald sat down with a University of Wisconsin student who made allegations of rape against unknown members of the Sigma Chi fraternity, as well as a friend of hers who was present to tell a portion of the story and give emotional support. Below is the transcript of the 44-minute interview.
Portions have been edited for clarity, and other parts have been removed entirely to protect the victim’s identity. This text is being posted with permission of the victim.
BH: The Badger Herald
V: Victim
VF: Victim’s Friend
BH: First of all, thank you again for coming in. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or anything like that just tell me.
V: Yeah.
BH (to VF): So, you had a part in this too it sounds like?
VF: Well ours were at different times. Last spring I went to a party at [the Sigma Chi] house and I was talking to a member of their fraternity and while I glanced away for like a second he dropped a pill in my drink, and I looked back soon enough to see it dissolving in the drink. I was with a friend who didn’t notice it until I pointed out that it was dissolving, so we just walked away, poured out the cup.
BH: OK, that’s good to hear.
V: Basically I want her here for that, so people aren’t like “Oh, it only happened once,” and for support, too.
BH: Sure, sure, understandable. OK, we’ll move on then. We’ll just dive in right away then, if you could just describe when the assault occurred in as much detail as you’re comfortable giving.
V: Do you want the whole story? Like my whole day?
BH: Sure, anything leading up to it.
V: It was on Oct. 4. It was a night game. Sigma Chi was having a pregame, and there were tons of people there and then after the pregame I left and went to the Badger game. Afterwards, everyone was walking back, and I met up with two Sigma Chis and a pledge from my sorority, and we went to [State Street] Brats. And I got one drink there, and then one of the Sigma Chis bought me a shot. I was fine — I wasn’t blackout or anything. I was like drunk during the day, but then I stopped drinking from like 5. … I was drunk, I’m not going to lie, but I wasn’t like blehhh.
So then we went to Johnny O’s, and it was really, really crowded — we were up top [on the rooftop deck]. I bought everybody pineapple vodkas and I handed them back to everybody and mine was the last one. The last thing I remember was saying to [my friend], “Wow, this pineapple vodka is really good.” I don’t remember one thing after that. I wake up, and this person comes into his room and says “What the fuck, why are you passed out in my room? Why are your pants off? This is not OK; you cannot pass out in someone’s room. What the fuck are you doing here?” And just yelling at me. And I said “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m here.”
I texted somebody that I was so embarrassed. And that’s all. Then I woke up [in my bed] and I went to the bathroom, and I wiped and I was gushing blood. I was like “What the heck?” and I was really, really sore. I called my mom, bawling, and I told her I thought I got raped.
Then I went to Meriter Hospital and my mom met me there; my roommate came too but left later. I was there from 11 to 5, because I collected evidence with what happened to me — they took pictures, grabbed DNA. She stuck a Q-tip in me and I just started bawling, and I have a really, really high pain tolerance.
She said from how I was down there that more than one guy raped me, like they took turns with me. She said I was one of the worst cases she’s seen with how violent it was. The next day I had a fat lip, I couldn’t move my jaw, and I had a bruise on my face. I had bruises up and down my legs and by my vagina, so it wasn’t consensual or anything — it was really violent. I went to the doctor obviously and I had to get tested for STDs, AIDS and all that, I don’t have that, but they said from how my lip looked I either got punched in the face or I bit my lip so hard. The reason I had a bruise was because they think they moved my head to make me move.
BH: So just to clarify, when you went to Meriter, was it 11 the next morning?
V: Yeah. Oh, and I got tested to see if I had been given roofies, but [it came back negative]. But they also said you need to go within the hour or it’s not detectable. So they said it wasn’t that [I] didn’t get roofied, it just couldn’t be proven.
BH: Are there any details that you can think of that need to be added?
V: No, I think you’ve got it.
BH: So, you have no idea who the assaulters were?
V: No, if I did, they would be going to jail. I’d press charges, I have a police investigation going on. If I knew who they were, I would be putting those fuckers in jail. And also my therapist said that most girls who get raped don’t report stuff, they don’t do what I’m doing right now. They usually prey on weaker woman, so most people don’t come forward.
BH: You went into this a bit earlier, but what happened in the days following the assault?
V: I went home for the whole week. I didn’t go to school. I was really depressed and felt violated, and I couldn’t believe that something like this happened to me. And it was really frustrating because I felt like I deserved this or something, and I absolutely didn’t deserve it, but most rape victims feel like that. You feel worthless, is a better word for it. It steals so much of your life. My life is ruined because of what they did. And if I knew who these people were, I would want to ruin theirs.
BH: Do you know the status currently of the investigation?
V: No, she (the police detective) doesn’t tell me one thing because she thinks the investigation will be blown.
BH: Does that make you feel more or less secure that you can’t know?
V: No, absolutely awful, because I have no control over this, of getting raped, so I feel like I have no control over this investigation. And I had my therapist call to say this isn’t right that she doesn’t know one thing, and my detective basically told her nothing. The one thing I know is that DNA is being processed in the lab. So I guess that means I have DNA, which is good. [Chuckles].
BH: Did you tell the university immediately afterwards?
V: Well, actually, you go to Meriter and they contact the Rape Crisis Center, who then gets in touch with the university. The university actually contacted me about it, and was like “Hi, are you OK? Blah blah blah.” That was it. Honestly, from my experience with the university, I don’t think that they helped at all. And I feel like a lot of teachers here at UW-Madison [aren’t] empathetic to it. Within my major they’re very understanding. But I just felt that part of it was unfair because people don’t understand what I’m going through. So they’re just like, “OK, well you have a week to do your homework.” And it’s just like, “Yeah, I would love to have a week to do my homework, but right now I’m every emotionally affected, and I can’t study for my midterms unless you want me to get F’s.”
And also, with the dean of students, my dean, wasn’t very helpful. I still have effects from my rape, with my situations where I can’t leave my house. When you get raped they say, “Oh, you’re a victim of a crime.” That’s all the university says. That’s not as big of a justification as, “This person was raped.” So I personally have to e-mail all my professors and tell them that I was raped. Which is awful — it’s like, I don’t want to talk to anyone about it, so why would I want to talk to some stranger I don’t know?
My dean of students wasn’t very helpful with my situation. But this semester she called me and said, “[My professor] called and we need to know where you’re seeking therapy and if you’re still seeking therapy.” I say, “Well how is that relevant and how is that any of your business?” And she’s like, “Well I need to know.” She wasn’t very friendly. But she (VF) spoke to somebody who was so helpful, was totally on board, and she’s the reason [Sigma Chi is] on social probation.
BH: Sigma Chi is on social probation?
V: Yeah, they were just put on social probation because of Suzanne, with dean of students. They just were put on the day [VF] contacted Suzanne. [Editor’s Note: Sigma Chi voluntarily placed itself on social probation].
VF: I sent an anonymous e-mail to the Pan-Hellenic Association, dean of students, Interfraternity Council basically saying how disappointed and disgusted I am by the lack of action that was taken after the incidents and that I had heard there was another person raped [at Sigma Chi], and as a woman and a friend of someone who was a victim that they hadn’t taken any action. I guess I sent that letter a little over a week ago to them, and since they received that, my dean of students, Suzanne, was really receptive. She contacted me immediately the next day and set up an appointment with me and moved forward with the actions, including contacting the national fraternity headquarters to notify them of the incident, who they said they had never been contacted about prior.
BH: As far as social probation goes, do you feel like that’s not enough?
V: Obviously it’s something and I’m happy about it, but I personally think because they just recently raped someone that they should be kicked off campus. But that’s just my opinion.
VF: Talking to the dean of students, it sounded like that was an initial action to at least take an action instead of doing nothing. It obviously isn’t a good enough action.
V: But I mean nothing is enough. I’m happy that they’re on social probation, I’m really happy this happened, but nothing is going to replace what I went through.
BH: You delved into this a bit earlier, but can you just talk about why you decided to come forward?
V: I was at a bar and I was talking to this guy and he was in Sigma Chi. My friend knew he was in Sigma Chi and comes up to me and says, “Hey, he’s in Sigma Chi.” But I didn’t really register it. So [my friends] were at another table saying they can’t believe I’m talking to a guy in Sigma Chi, and this girl comes over and says “Don’t let her talk to them. I was recently raped there by more than one person. Please don’t let her talk to him — they’re not OK.” So my friend comes over and says “Hey, he’s in Sigma Chi, come on.”
So this girl wanted to talk to me, and she was raped [at Sigma Chi] the first or second week of this semester. She isn’t going to come forward, isn’t contacting police, because that’s what most rape victims do. But she was like, really, really upset. She was like bawling. And I think her friends contacted the dean of students, so the dean of students are aware someone else was raped there too. So I felt like even though I did everything in my power I felt like … I don’t want people to be like, “Oh my god, Sigma Chi, they’re so fun.” No. I want them to be known, I want people to hear Sigma Chi, and say, “Did you hear they raped someone?” I don’t want people to be like, “Yes, they’re awesome!” Not everyone within their fraternity is, but they do have rapists.
VF: The thing that’s scary about it is that it seems like it’s a problem within their house, not just an isolated person, not just an isolated incident. Obviously if I was roofied almost a year ago at their house and two people have been raped there since, and we’ve only had one person come forward with it, it seems like there’s obviously other people. And the rapes were all with more than one person. And I understand how sororities and fraternities don’t really know the backgrounds of the people they offer membership to, but when it’s more than one person there’s obviously an internal issue with the fraternity itself. It’s not just one bad apple.
BH: What was it like talking to this other victim? How did it make you feel?
V: Honestly I almost threw up. It’s disgusting that people go through with this thing. Do you have a mother? Do you have a sister? Do you have friends who are girls? Imagine them getting raped — how the hell do you think you would react? I had guy friends and they were furious, they wanted to beat everybody up in that fraternity. How can you rape someone and not think of other women? And I felt like as a woman we’re all being targeted at this frat and this needs to stop. I did everything in my power to get something done, and nothing happened. And it made me sad, and it made me feel like this girl’s rape was my fault.
BH: So your assault and this other girl’s assault are the two that you know of?
V: Yeah.
BH: You haven’t spoken to anybody else specifically, but you think it may just be a larger problem?
V: Yeah.
VF: Another thing, for me at least, the perpetrator in my incident, what makes the situation even more complicated, is that the person who dropped a pill in my drink is on the executive committee for the Interfraternity Council, which is like the governing body for the fraternities. … [A]nd if you want to bring a complaint against a fraternity, your complaint has to have all of your information on it, including your contact information, your house, your name. And the thing is that the people on the judicial board are all in fraternities and sororities, so that creates an issue with confidentially. The process for the judicial board has a statute of limitations is I believe 15 days post-incident, or 15 days after the start of the next semester, and obviously with something as traumatic as rape, a rape victim would not be ready to come forward to the judicial board non-anonymously with an issue within 15 days. That’s an unreasonable amount of time.
This issue has been circulating throughout the Greek community since it happened. People have been speculating about it, but I guess one of the reasons that spurred me on to push this issue with the university is because it seems like people have thought of this as a rumor. And I guess people thought it was a rumor at one point, but nothing happened, and I know for a fact that the Pan-Hellenic Council and the Interfraternity Council both are aware that this occurred and not just that it was a rumor, so I guess the fact that they didn’t act quicker on it makes me really suspicious. And like I said, knowing that there’s two people on their executive committee from Sigma Chi makes me even more suspicious. Knowing that one of them is a potential rapist because he roofied my drink before makes it not surprising that they haven’t done anything.
BH: And how does that make both of you feel that the power is kind of possibly in the hands of the perpetrators?
VF: I think it’s just really scary. I mean, it’s kind of like the good ol’ boys network.
V: Totally.
VF: You know this person; I know that person; I’ve got your back. It just kind of suppresses all other outside voices like for the good of just protecting each other.
V: I feel like it diminishes me as a rape victim. It’s saying, “Oh, you know what, that was something bad, but we don’t really care about it because it will ruin the Greek reputation. I feel like this thing is hidden because they don’t want to ruin our Greek system reputation because I feel like something like, “Oh, people get raped” is like, “Shh… don’t talk about it,” you know?
It’s something people don’t want to hear about and don’t want to talk about and it really, honestly, them not saying something makes me feel like [they’re] saying, “Oh, it’s OK you got raped.” You know, “That sucks, but really no big deal.”
BH: So, what kind of support have you received since the rape occurred, whether this is through the university or…
V: No, it’s OK. I’m seeing a therapist. I have a therapist I go to every Friday. I have all my friends within where I live. They’ve been extremely supportive. Some haven’t been, but it shows their true colors. That’s kind of my support, and my family I guess. My family is like, very, everyone in my family knows and they haven’t been pressuring me to do anything. They’ve just been really supportive, and I feel that’s how my friends have been and same as my therapist.
BH: Looking back, would you change anything either what you did afterwards or who you asked for help, or would you change any of your actions?
V: I definitely would not have seen the dean of students I saw; I would have seen Suzanne. But I wasn’t like, I didn’t get to choose who my dean of students was, I just was contacted. I just felt like my dean of students wasn’t really empathetic at all to the situation.
Like, she just [recently] called, because [the Herald] called her I’m assuming, and she was like, I said, “You know, I’m trading. I’m probably going to talk to Suzanne,” and she said, “Why?” and I said, “Because I felt like she actually did something,” and she said “Oh, you never said you wanted to do something.” She knew full well I was having a private investigator. Doesn’t that say you want to do something? I feel like it should have been asked, too. I was never asked, “Do you want them to get in trouble at all?” And honestly, it’s something they shouldn’t ask right away either. They should contact, like, you know, a month or two after. Maybe even like, it’s six months ago. October, November, December, January, February almost March. Six months ago and I’m just coming forward with my story, and I just felt like my dean of students wasn’t empathetic at all. She like yelled about me about my professor. I just wouldn’t go to her again — I think that would be the only thing I would change.
BH: So do you feel the university could offer better services to people?
V: Honestly, like also with the Rape Crisis Center, I know this has nothing to do with the university, but like they don’t tell you if you don’t collect, when you do it you’re in a room with them and they say, “You know you have the option to collect evidence which can be just put on hold and no ones going to have it,” like “We’ll have it, we’ll see it unless you decide to contact the police or you can just not get evidence.”
And I felt more that they pushed you to not get evidence because getting evidence takes hours because they take pictures of your vagina, they take DNA, they have a total feel test, like they test if you were raped in the butt, all that stuff. I feel as if they encourage you [against getting the evidence]. Not like saying, “Oh no don’t do it,” but it’s more you’re pushed toward not collecting evidence, and I felt as if I didn’t have my mother there, I probably wouldn’t have done it.
I feel like that maybe would be one thing to do. And honestly, people who are raped, right afterwards they are contacted — I don’t want to see anyone, I don’t want to talk to anyone about it. Like, maybe contact me in a month or two. Not right away because honestly I don’t want to talk to you. I want to be alone and secluded and pretty much be depressed.
BH: OK, so I guess that kind of leads into how overall has this affected your life?
V: My life is ruined because of this. I don’t trust anyone. I honestly feel as if I can’t be a normal college student anymore. I can’t go out and drink. I get only bottles because I cover up the hole because I am afraid someone is going to roofie me. I have roofie testers that I bring out every single time I go out and check if it was roofied and one time I was pregaming before a Badger game and one of the roofie tests came up positive. Like, how does that happen? Like, that shows that people around here have roofies, and it happens all the time. Maybe girls think they got blackout drunk. No, you got roofied, and I think people don’t really realize that.
And I feel like I hate men right now. I’m not like a lesbian or anything, but it’s just like, how do I know that you’re a good guy? It’s like my whole perspective of life has changed. I don’t want to date someone. I don’t like really care anything for them right now. I think they’re pigs. I mean, my life is completely changed and ruined. Even my ex-boyfriend who I have complete faith in and stuff, I see him as an asshole, like as someone who’s disgusting.
And it’s as if my whole aspect of life was taken away because of this. There are days I don’t want to get out of bed. I’ve never had that before in my life. I’ve never felt sad. I’m on depression medication, and that would have never happened. I’ve always felt happy and now there are days where I don’t feel happy.
Like, I’m struggling to make myself look happy. It’s like as if I’m drowning and I’m treading water. Before I was under and now maybe I’m at my shoulder level. It’s just something that’s really difficult, and it’s also hard because I can’t sit and talk to you about it. You don’t know how I feel. You can’t be like, “Oh, I understand.” You don’t understand. Like I can’t sit and talk to anyone about it because no one understands how I feel, which is very frustrating. And it’s also frustrating because many rape victims don’t want to talk about it and be like, “Oh, you know?” All of us don’t have the same story. I went to a thing back at home … a group meeting, and most rape victims weren’t coming forward with who they knew, who their rapists were, weren’t contacting the police, thought it was their fault. I don’t relate to them because I don’t think it was my fault, and if I knew who it was I would be contacting the police. It’s honestly like they have taken away a part of me and I will never get that back.
BH (to VF): OK. Do you have anything you can add, anything you’ve noticed?
V: I’m not going to be offended. [Chuckles]
VF: I think I have seen an extremely, I guess a really significant change in how she has been in terms of recovery from like when it happened until even now. I see that you are like so empowered to do something about it, and I think it’s amazing because it’s in such a short time period. Some people wait their whole lives or don’t ever tell anyone about this in their whole life and given the situation, you’ve done everything right and I think it’s a really amazing example for your friends, for people who this has happened to because, like you said, some of these people won’t come forward with it. And so just to be able to see someone who is strong and who is doing something about it and like how you said, people aren’t pressuring you to do it — it’s all you. You have the strength to do it.
V: Yeah, it was my decision.
VF: It’s been really an inspiring thing for me just to see that, and for me it’s also kind of a life-changing perspective to see such a close friend go through something like this. It’s going to impact and it already is the way I look at the world and just like, my friendships with people are so close I seriously feel peoples’ pain. It hurts me to see what you had to go through and so it also makes me feel like really strong to see you are moving forward with this and seeking the help you need with your therapist, and doing this interview is huge. This is a huge step for your recovery.
V: Yeah. And also, just to comment, after it happened, like I used alcohol to help me, like, be numb. And when I saw that girl who was in the bar, she was bombed out of her mind because we don’t want to feel what we’re feeling. We want to be numb. I don’t want to think about it. … [But] I’m not drinking to get numb anymore. I’m OK.
VF: I think that a lot of people underestimate the impact of rape.
V: I completely, 100 percent agree with it. Someone in my sorority said, “Oh I thought you’d be better this semester.” Fuck you, like honestly, it is something that has changed my life and I won’t be able to just get over.
VF: I think that is the main linkage in people not moving forward with this is that they don’t understand how serious it is. It’s like, “Oh well, that’s too bad that it happened. I’m really sorry to hear it.” And that is pretty much all they say; they don’t actually feel like the impact that it’s had. They don’t think of all the things. It’s like, “Oh that’s really too bad; that must have felt like horrible,” but if they don’t understand it’s not just a feeling that happens like from the next day. It’s like the next day and the next day for the rest of your life. Every second of your life you feel right what you felt right at the beginning. Like, right after it happened and people just like don’t get that. And its not just, “Oh, I’m afraid to go out,” it’s like, “Oh, I like don’t want to date people.” Like, it impacts the rest of your life, like how you raise your kids.
V: And I also feel I have three girls out of probably the 40 [I live with] that I feel comfortable that actually care about, like, how I am and understand. Like, they’re, “Are you OK?,” not being like, “Hey, Oh, how was your day?” It’s “Are you okay?” It’s like three people, that actually, who actually get it, you know? I feel like that will be maybe a thing that embeds how most people don’t understand.
BH: OK. And just to wrap up, what does campus need to know moving forward from this?
V: What do you mean?
BH: What do people on campus need to learn from your story?
V: I mean, I feel as if people who get blackout drunk, it’s somewhat insulting to me, because it’s like you’re not being careful, and I was one of those people. I used to get wasted. You never think it will happen to you and it will. It can happen to you, and I feel as if people should be aware that this stuff does happen.
It’s not just stuff you see in movies. It happens all the time, and most of it’s shushed up because that’s what as a society we’re taught to feel. [To VF] I don’t know, what else do you think I should say?
VF: I feel like we’re talking about how we always used to go to Sigma Chi. Like even though you feel like you have a level of trust you can never be too careful.
V: Yeah, even if you feel you have a level of trust with someone, you can never know who that person really is. Like, you never know, could that person be a rapist? And I know, probably sound a little, “Whoa, you’re paranoid,” but it’s true you don’t know, you really don’t know someone. We haven’t grown up with these people, we met them one or two years ago and a few years doesn’t really help you get to know someone at all.
VF: I mean, with that house, we’ve spent a lot of time going to that house.
V: Tons of time.
VF: It’s not like we’re just random people off the street.
V: We have a connection with them.
VF: It’s not we would just randomly go there. [To V] Oh, also, wouldn’t you want to talk about like, how, who you go out with…
V: Oh yeah, I didn’t add this part, but I went out that night I got raped with not people I was really close with. I feel as if you should go out with people who you are really close with. Make sure you are not going home with some random person. It’s like a buddy system that should be established in groups because this stuff, [VF] would never let me go home with someone who I don’t know. It’s changed our whole outlook on going out because you need to have someone who will watch you, not as a babysitter, but as a friend. I was out with people who didn’t care about me. I was left in what someone said was in Sigma Chi, and that girl who I was with, she said I was left playing beer pong with three guys. Like, who just leaves someone like that? The girl just left me, she was like, “I gotta go home,” and she left. And honestly, that’s fine, but looking back, I’m never going to do that to someone, because something could happen. I’m sure she thought, “Oh, you’re safe here, you’re fine, we know people here.” But you really just don’t know everybody. Girls, and maybe guys, you need to have someone to watch each other because you shouldn’t just go out with random people. [To VF] What do you think, anything else?
VF: No, I think that’s good. I think someone also needs to address what’s making people act this way. First of all, people need to be empowered to stand up to them if this does happen, but there’s obviously a serious problem. The thing that’s kind of funny is it’s kind of like people stereotypically think of rapists as a creepy guy, like you know, shady character who is just lingering around bars preying on people.
These are affluent guys. These are guys who got into this university, not uneducated guys, not guys who are [from] poor areas. I think that people just need to be aware it’s not just like the stereotype of a poor creepy person who’s lingering around like a transient. It’s normal people. It’s someone who you know. [Someone] you might be friends with could have done this.
V: Like if a guy was sitting there (points), I would be like, “I don’t know if you’re a rapist.” Now, I’m very wary of all men in general. And that was taken from me, and I used to be very good friends with guys and now my only guy friend is a gay guy because I know he’s not going to rape me. It’s just something that I will never in my life get back. Like, I still take showers and still try to scrub myself off because I still feel dirty. Also with my body image, I feel like I am ugly, disgusting and obese.
Like, I look in the mirror and see myself as ugly and fat and gross and I was never much like that before. I was a confident person and, yes, people still see that I am confident but that is a shield. I’m trying to show people I’m OK and it’s not how I’m acting really. I’m acting for other people and it’s something, I still feel violated.
I got a pap smear and I was bawling the whole time. That is something that’s just, and I have a woman gyno, it’s something that affects my everyday life and I was sick last week and I have a guy doctor and they said, “You have to get in a gown” and I was like, “I’m not getting in a gown and can I have a girl doctor.” And they’re like “No, I’m sorry the only person who is here is a guy,” and I was like, “I’m not getting in a gown” and she was like, “No, you have to.” And I was like, “Well I was raped, I’m not getting in the gown.” And when the doctor had to feel for my heart I was [extremely uncomfortable] and that just shows you how it affects me because it’s a doctor who like sees stuff all the time and because he’s a male, I feel like he’s violating me.
BH: That’s all my specific questions but is there anything else at all you would like to say?
V: I don’t think so, what do you think?
VF: Do you want to say anything at all about how it impacted your view of your faith?
V: Oh yeah, I don’t know if you guys want to write about this, but I was a person who was very close with God and I feel as if, “Why did God do this to me?” It’s like, how could he let this happen, and now I don’t ever want to go to church. I don’t want to pray. I asked him, “How could you let this happen to me?” and it’s like that part of me is taken away, and that’s really sad because God was a comfort for me and, I still have never, I haven’t come to terms with him.
I say to him, “I know you’re making me do this for some reason to help someone else, but why me?” You know what I’m saying? And like I think of that every day: Why did this happen to me? What did I do in my life to deserve this? They took away my faith and for me that was one of the most important things that was taken away from me because that’s something that I lean on and I can’t lean on this. I’m stuck in a fog here. I had all these things with me and I can barely see the light, it’s dim. I feel like I’m never going to get out of this.
BH: Anything else?
V: No.
[End recording]
Editor’s Note: The Herald did talk to the victim over the phone and in person outside of this interview for both articles.
81 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
To the victim’s friend - - what kind of girl gets an alleged “pill” dropped in her drink then just goes about her way? Sounds like a lot of he/said she/said. Not one name to go with these pills or charges?
Thanks for coming forward. You’re both heroes for doing this. A big salute to you both.
-David Lapidus
The fact that most of her sorority sisters do not believe her speaks for itself. This interview was a case study in coastie behavior. Bravo.
Coastie accountability 101:
“Maybe girls think they got blackout drunk. No, you got roofied, and I think people don’t really realize that.”
Thank you for sharing your story. Exposing rapist assholes is a crucial part of spreading awareness and ideally, in the long run, ending rape. (And similarly exposing enablers of rapist assholes, be they frats or other social circles.)
Disclaimer: It’s important to acknowledge that most frats are not enablers of rapist assholes. My own frat smacked down an attempted rapist asshole within membership and for that, I applaud them.
I cried when I read this. I was raped a little over a year ago. You are amazingly strong for sharing your story. Thank you.
I feel remorseful for the girl got raped. And if facts do come forward that she actually was then I have the same feelings toward Sig Chi as she does. But the fact remains that they have nothing. First off, Sig Chi’s arent the only ones living in their house. It could have been anyone in that house. also maybe drunk she wanted that many guys to fuck her. She is acting as a victim, which she is, but also it is half her fault for getting so drunk in the first place. Also the victim’s friend is a joke. Really, you didnt see a pill dropped into your drunk. You just want to feel important in light of your friends tragic event.
~ Jack Bauer
This all seems a little fishy…
This transcript is something that every student should read. Thank you for coming forward and sharing your story.
3:05am —maybe she didn’t tell anyone because she assumed it would become a he said/she said situation. if we just believed victims first more would feel they were able to come forward.
it takes an amazing person to be willing to speak publicly. Thank you for sharing your story, and letting us know about dangerous place.
“She is acting as a victim, which she is, but also it is half her fault for getting so drunk in the first place.”
It is NEVER “half” the victim’s fault. Coercing someone who is too drunk, on drugs, etc. to do sexual acts is ILLEGAL.
Those men took advantage of the fact that she had been drinking/was drugged, and they are at fault for that. It’s a reflection of their character - if they were good people, they would have helped her if she needed it.
You are ignorant.
These girls better watch out for slander, that is also a huge offense. I don’t personally know any Sigma Chis but what has been said will affect the whole fraternity and greek community, guilty or innocent. If any of these “facts” are exaggerated in any way, I suggest that the alleged rape victim and the alleged rape victim’s friend come forward and make sure they have their stories completely straight. This is a big issue and will affect every member of that fraternity for a long time. As for the victim, if all these statements by her and her friend are true, I am sorry for what had happened to you and your family. I am sure police will know all the details, have contacted the hospitols, and will do everything they can to figure out if what this girl has said is 100% accurate. God Bless.
@Jack Bauer: “but also it is half her fault for getting so drunk in the first place.”
ARE YOU SERIOUS? 1) she was clearly drugged, NOT BLACKOUT DRUNK and 2) are you really BLAMING THE VICTIM? Rape is NEVER asked for, it is never deserved, it is NEVER the victim’s fault. Someone should be able to get drunk at a bar without the expectation or fear that she will be raped.
Rape is unforgivable. And so is your ignorance.
kudos to the herald for posting her interview (after she gave permission). I hope her story helps others.
“but also it is half her fault for getting so drunk in the first place.” Rape = sex without consent does not change when a woman gets drunk. The fact that she got raped demonstrates a problem of rapists, not a problem of drunk women acting irresponsibly. If there were no rapists, nobody would ever get raped, period. You lose.
I don’t believe this story
Are you kidding with the half her fault comment? that’s the most ridiculous and offensive way to look at this. you try to shift the blame by saying there are also guys not in the frat living there, well who is letting them live there and behave in this way. this is not the kind of topic to be satirical with even though I don’t that was your point, while you have the right to have your opinion, its disgusting.
It is because of these kind of reactions that more women don’t admit they’ve been raped. There is no excuse for using someone’s body for that kind of gratification. It is utterly disgusting that anyone would accuse of her being “too drunk.” She’s sharing her story now. I don’t know a single woman who would consent to being violently assulted by multiple men, reguardless of how drunk she was. That anyone would doubt that this was not consensual is ignorant and blind.
After reading that transcript I had a big wakeup call. I don’t think this story has affected my awareness of rape, but what is has done is shown how horrifying it is for the victim. Some passages speak for themselves “Like, I still take showers and still try to scrub myself off because I still feel dirty.”, or the fact that she is afraid of all men now. I have all the sympathy in the world for this victim, but on another note, her friend in the interview seems pretty hypocritical. If she honestly saw someone drop a pill into her drink and that person is on the IFC Executive Board how can she NOT do anything? Throughout the entire interview they say that it is a shame that rape victims don’t press charges or tell anyone, and she is just going to let them slide? Come on, if that really did happen she needs to make someone aware of their identity.
Sigma Chi is a joke of a fraternity, its not surprising at all that this happened. I always see the SCs walking around in big groups being obnoxious, cocky, and obscene. It is that kind of pack mentality that would allow something like this to happen. If everything in this interview is true Sigma Chi needs to be disbanded. IFC needs to take a stronger stance on this once the investigation is complete, if they appear to be soft on Sigma Chi all fraternities reputation will be damaged.
Denial is a common defense mechanism used to not have to accept the reality surrounding you. Rapes happen, to me, to you, to men, to women. This story is true, and horrific, do not devalidate the victims experience by denying that it occcurred. Instead of victim blaming or minimizing the issue learn from it. Be careful at the bar, do not be alone with someone you do not trust, look our for your friends, and even more importantly keep your eyes and ears open. Now that this is out there, people are going to start talking, it will NOT all be hearsay. Be brave enough to report what you hear, if not for you, then for someone that was taken advantage of. We are a community and need to care for one another, after all wouldn’t you want someone to care for you?
If all parties involved do not give consent, then sex is not legal.
There are a few groups of people who are unable to give consent:
Those who are underage in accordance to their state’s laws.
Those who lack the mental capacity to consent (mentally ill). Those who by reason of intoxication (drugs, alcohol, etc.) are unable or known to be unable to consent.
SEX WITHOUT CONSENT IS RAPE.
Response to March 4, 2009 @ 12:44pm.
.. What are you talking about? First of all this is a transcript of their conversation so I’m not sure how biased the reporting could be; and second, I think that it’s very courageous of you to post a slanderous comment about him on this article. Keep your pointless comments to yourself and off of this thread; let everyone focus on the actual story.
I apologize to anyone on this thread for my slight hypocrisy by posting a response to the comment I addressed.
Kudos to the victim for coming forward.. It’s a very courageous thing to do.
i am proud of her for coming out, but honestly, the entire article is based off of her word - no police, no fraternity men, no university reps. this does NOT by any means constitute a front page headliner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roofie
good old wikipedia. roofies can be detected for 72 hours…. i hate that she made this into an us vs. her event. poorly handled.
to 12:20
“1) she was clearly drugged”
no she was clearly not drugged.
1-she would not have been up on her feet and such, playing beer pong, she would be so out of it anyone walking on the street would have noticed, and she would have been brought in for public intoxication.
2-“Yeah. Oh, and I got tested to see if I had been given roofies, but [it came back negative]. But they also said you need to go within the hour or it’s not detectable. So they said it wasn’t that [I] didn’t get roofied, it just couldn’t be proven.” - that’s weird that you would say that when according to a medical study performed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the drug in roofies, flunitrazepam, is detectable in urine up to 72 hours after exposure, and can actually be detected in hair follicles for up to a month. check it out for yourself
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201894.pdf
very odd
This doesn’t quite make sense. The Victim says she wants the men responsible put in jail. “Victim’s friend” is basically accusing one person in particular of dropping a pill in her drink, which makes him a potential rapist. The Victim said she has DNA evidence. So why doesn’t the friend turn in the guy who dropped a pill in her drink and DNA test him? If this actually did happen it’s awful and I hope whoever is responsible is caught. But if the friend knows the person who dropped a pill her your drink, why hasn’t she taken action?
Again, to JB, your ignorance is sickening—and men like you are the reason that women have something to fear in the first place. As a woman in a sorority here on campus, I believe that the ENTIRE Greek system should have social probation for the rest of the semester as a big fat warning-we’ve been talking for years about how “lucky” we are that no one has died (such as from alcohol poisoning) associated with a Greek event. Perhaps there are some days when this victim feels as though what happened to her is as bad as/worth than death—it is a death of a certain part of her. I think the ENTIRE Greek system must come together and offer support. For anyone who believes this is slander-for every slanderous statement there are four times as many women who have been abused/brutalized and did not come forward so for you it works out in your favor in the end. I would urge the victim to contact ASM-which is revising articles currently that deal with off-campus criminal activity by UW students. Maybe we can spend all of the money and resources MPD uses to keep underage kids out of bars to help underage kids drink safely and educate people in general. Just a thought. Thanks for your story though—I bet that big “Sigma Chi Rape” headline in the BH will make a bunch of women be very careful. I know that I will be thinking of your story the next time that I am at a bar!
What a sad and shocking story. I have full confidence and belief of the victim, but these important things should be remembered. Not all the guys in Sigma Chi are rapists. What happened in their house is unforgivable, and as a result they should be kicked off campus. However, this does not mean that every guy in that house is constantly thinking of ways to try and rape girls. So as far as the community moving forward goes, girls should be careful no matter who they are with, I tell my sister that all the time. but just because this incident occurred, it doesnt mean we should all go around campus bashing every member of sigma chi. Unfortunately it doesnt look like the identity of the suspects is even close to being found or disclosed, so the house will have to take the majority of the blame, but still I know a couple of guys in that house who are stand up guys who I wouldnt mind having in my fraternity. Thoughts and prayers to the victim.
3:41 - You’re an asshole. The girl wasn’t even a coastie. Don’t talk shit about stuff you don’t know.
2:08 pm, funny you should say don’t talk shit about stuff you don’t know. It seems that message should be broadcast to the whole school. All you bandwagon frat haters should wait until all the facts are out and decisions are made before you catgorize the greeks as sexual assaulters. Thats as ignorant as Jack Bauer’s comments.
roofied != roofies
To assume the drug that has that street name is what was used is dumb, GHD, MDMA, etc… can all be used and have different effects
the term roofied has come to mean any use of a drug on an unwilling person used to get them to pass out with the intent to have sex with them.
roofies can thus be any drug in that category, tho we can assume if it was a pill it was not GHB as far as I know
and for the record my mom is an MSW thus why I sadly know these things.
to the victim, please don’t lose faith.
this story is as true as they come, making comments like “oh you can test roofies within 72 hours,” is moronic. this isn’t some conspiracy shes trying to set up, but put the word out there that this can actually happen. keep on livin lady, everything gets better with time
“I was left in what someone said was in Sigma Chi,”
Does this girl even know where she was?
The only way for Sigma Chi to actually get in trouble for this is for a complaint to be filed with the Greek Judicial Board.
http://uwgreek.com/community/complaint.html
They can also contact Jeff Benson directly at Benson@odos.wisc.edu
In the first instance, only Jeff and the Chief Justice of the Greek Judicial Board would know the identity of the rape victim and in the 2nd instance, only Jeff would know.
The Judicial Board could compel Sigma Chi’s members to participate in a DNA dragnet or face expulsion from campus.
no to tell you the truth this girl, yes girl, has no fucking idea what happened, if anything happened at all. talk about a cop out for regretting what you did the night before. i realize that it is serious and she may be traumatized but this WHOLE story is based on her word. there hasnt been a comment from the fraternity, police, or university. her credibility has to come into question- it just seems like she is COMPLETELY going after their house
I’m really proud of the girl who came forward. I’m a guy who has been raped (by a man) and it was the hardest thing to come forward about. She is even more brave than I am for being able to take ti to the police. It’s a sad commentary on the Greek community that they would want to defend their honor rather than defending the victim that came forward. Everyone believes her. If they stepped up the greeks could look good. As is they look as stupid as the Black-faced ZBT kids did 20 years ago.
I have little doubt that this girl was raped and that it has caused much distress and harm, and I’m so sorry that this has happened to you. Not knowing your assailant is very frustrating I’m sure, but to target an entire fraternity of 50+ members is ridiculous. Sigma Chi pre-games on game days have many other people attend them than just the members of the fraternity. Alumni, visiting friends, and other men both in and out of the greek system party at Sigma Chi on game day. Just because the alleged rape happened in Sigma Chi does not make the rapist a Sigma Chi- it is more than likely that the person to blame is not even from our campus.
Also, if you allegedly saw who roofied you, why wouldn’t you call them out right there? Ask them to drink the drink? You’re just going to keep on partying? What’s wrong with you? And roofies, no matter the type of date rape drug used, don’t leave your system in an hour. And you also couldn’t walk or function if you were roofied either.
Conversations about rape don’t seem to be good bar topics. “Oh, I got raped by those boys”, “OMG I did too!” Doesn’t seem like the conversation one would overhear out at the bar. What a coincidence that you happened to randomly meet another victim….
And on that topic, it didn’t REGISTER that you were talking to a Sigma Chi? You’re scarred and you feel dirty and disgusting but it doesn’t register when you’re talking to a member of the fraternity that has ruined your life? Really?
By not naming the perpetrator of this roofie crime but saying they’re on IFC is ridiculous because there is more than one Sigma Chi on IFC. They are showing leadership, responsibility, and dedication to our greek system and you are ripping them down and ruining their reputations.
I am friends with many members of that fraternity who are just as clueless about this case as the rest of the public is. They are respectable men who would never risk their reputation to support a brother who raped a girl. If they believed that any member of that fraternity did this, then the rest of the frat would be disgusted and horrified of that person and not keep it under wraps.
This story has too many holes, and by the way you sound ignorant; if you wanted to gain sympathy and have this school believe that your story is credible, there are many more eloquent and less graphic ways to convey your story.
And shame on you Badger Herald for running this story with all this detail. This campus just wants to bring the Greek system down. There is no absolute proof of this story and you are misrepresenting an honorable fraternity and the whole entire greek population. The fraternity should have remained anonymous (unless the girl was willing to admit membership to her own sorority, since most of us know what it is) or many of these unreliable details should have been kept out.
So once again, I’m so sorry for you and I am disgusted that things like this are happening here at UW, but this article makes you and the herald look stupid. If vengeance is what you were seeking, you can now sleep well knowing that you have single-handedly brought down a respectable fraternity with this article. For now though, these guys are innocent until proven guilty and UW-Madison has been shown no proof thus far.
1:20 March 4, This is a rape story. By no means it does it NOT deserve the front page. I give this girl and her friend so much credit for doing this! You are possibly saving others from the same pain that you both had to suffer! You both are amazing and I only wish you the best. For all those that don’t believe this story or have the balls to say that it isn’t true, you will never know what these people had to go through so you have no right to say anything against this. This can completely ruin a life and you have the balls to say it isn’t true. If you have the balls to say anything against this girl and her friend, don’t speak. No one who cares about their friends and family members who are girls wants to hear your BS!
As a fraternity man this story makes me sick. A fraternity house should be the safest place on campus for women drunk, drugged, or completely sober. This is a disgrace. I hate what fraternities have become “frats” tagged with bad reputations. Every fraternity man takes a pledge to behave in a way that would be honorable to a gentleman. This is pathetic. To the victim keep your head up. Trust in the Lord. Be safe ladies.
I am so proud of you for coming forward! That can’t have been easy. I sincerely hope the rapists are caught, for your sake and for the safety of other women on campus.
I thank God for the integrity and courage of Signe Brewster and Kevin Bargnes. The Badger Herald is saving lives. I cannot possibly begin to even understand what this young woman has suffered. However, her fortitude is nothing short of a miracle. She is to be commended. To the victim, please know you are in prayer, and never give up. There is always hope; Always.
Thank you so much for finally putting this story out. Word spread back in October and it is about time it was addressed.
i am so proud of you.
The Badger Herald had every right to publish this story. They acknowledged that it was obviously someone’s experience and that no “proof” has come out - and therefore, they have done nothing wrong. As a woman on campus, I want to hear stories like this to remind me of how dangerous things are out there. For those who doubt she was raped, the bruising and excessive bleeding should be proof enough - no consensual sex should involve tons of bruising or gushing blood, unless it’s the girl’s first time. All I can say is, this was a good front-page story. It’s not an article that should bias anyone against the Greek community - no one should believe that every frat guy is a rapist. But, she has every right to be somewhat afraid of Sigma Chi simply because it is hard to separate the location of her rape with the group who lives there. No doubt, there are perfectly respectable Sigma Chis who want to see justice just as badly as the girls of this campus do. All i can say is, thank you for coming forward and thank you Badger Herald for alerting the campus community. Hopefully,t his story will encourage any other rape victims to speak out.
I admire you ladies for coming forward, it is the best thing you can do to help others in similar situations. It is never the victims fault.
I don’t know anything about the case beyond what was in the transcript and the articles, but I have to say that this seems to be in pretty poor form. Obviously if something did occur then appropriate punishments, which would be very severe, should be handed out. But now a group of around 100 young men are all going to be associated with rape and druggings based on the words of two anonymous sources, one of whom openly admits to not knowing what occurred the night of the alleged incident, as well as a relatively large level of ambiguity relating to whether or not the victim can actually identify where she was. It is certainly tragic that this young woman (or any, for that matter) has to go through anything like this, but there is a reason why the right to face your accuser is a foundation of the U.S., because there is simply no way to validate anything that she is saying. The fact that she claims there is DNA evidence and yet it has been 5 months since the alleged incident makes it all the more difficult to take her at her word. Also, the fact that she is openly upset about the incident to the point that she is, makes it even more likely that she is attempting to place blame on how she feels on somebody. That is not to say that she is lying, just that it’s well established that in the U.S. men who are accused of sexual misconduct are guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of the public, and having people rally behind her, even absent of verifiable facts, is obviously a way to gain support. That said, I am sorry that you have gone through this situation, regardless of what happened, and I hope your willingness to come forward (albeit in a way that I find objectionable) will inspire more women to take the next step.
What happened is terrible, and i have every sympathy in the world for the victim, but this is going to turn into a fucking witch hunt, and I would hate to see an innocent man burn for this.
Hearsay is grounds for objection in the courtroom and should be in print, too.
Dude, 11:46 pm, most of journalism is hearsay. Example…
“Doyle’s spokesperson said the governor wants to kill babies.”
Doyle probably doesn’t want to kill babies. But it’s still factually correct, provided the reporter heard the spokesperson say that. And the fact that she said that is news.
It’s not much different than
“A UW student said she believes she was raped by several members of Sigma Chi fraternity.”
Maybe it didn’t happen. But the fact that she did say it is news.
Take fucking some journalism classes and then talk, you horse’s ass.
Two words: Duke Lacrosse.
This shows how much we as the student body of UW-Madison need to watch out for one another. We know this is a drinking city, so instead of prompting others to continue drinking when they have clearly had enough we should help them, call their friend, get them home, give them a SAFE place to sleep… As humans we need to help each other not harm each other
This girl was incredibly brave to do this, she must be scared shitless right now about all of the backlash that is coming but I hope she knows how many people she has touched, helped, and are applauding her right now for this amazing act of courage to come forward and tell the honest truth about a horrible thing that will impact that lives of everyone on this campus
If there are perpetrators out there; please, for yourselves, for the victims and for the community, come forward and show your faces.
its not brave to have done this. she could have spoken with the police and solved the problem in a resonable matter, but chose instead to elicit a public outcry rather than make any move that would actually solve the issue. if she was soooo worried about her privacy and not making a large issue out of this, then making it a front page article was the worst thing she could had done. i really feel for her, but chosing to move this to an arena where she can manipulate public emotions (via the BH) rather than the legal/judicial sysmtem (where actual facts matter) is outright disappointing. you have done nothing to inspire victims of abuse to come out (such as you claim to want), but rather (through your own selfishness) have likely influenced other woman to not come foward since they will be concerned about the backlash you caused (because of the way you handled it). if you chose to be so brave as to make a statement, you should have done it through the proper channels (those that would have actually been able to help you) rather than through an anonymous article that could not help you other than making your case public - wait that was the opposite of what you wanted, right?
Dean of Students Lori Berquam has called for a campus forum to discuss sexual assault issues on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30pm (TITU).
I believe this girl’s story and if the evidence is still in existence it should be very easy to prove if anyone in their house committed this atrocious crime. If the sigma chis are adamant they committed no crime, then they should willingly submit to DNA testing of all their members. Compare this to the evidence and whadda ya know?!?!? We find the pieces of s&*# that did this, or we clear the name of their members. Its a win win. Of course countless other people that were at the house could have done this, but most likely it was a member or someone who lives there bc they probably would want to be in a locked room while committing a crime that is nearly equivalent to child molestation and murder. I challenge you Sigma Chi members, grow a pair, step up to the plate and get all your members DNA tested and clear your “honorable” name and reputation. Good Luck.
Re: Duke lacrosse, get your facts straight moron and you’ll find out that it was a total scandal. The 0A was disbarred and the accused filed a class action suit against the state of North Carolina,which they won,and received appropriate compensation. Spare us all and do your homework next time, your post is no better than those demeaning this girl. -Piper W.
THE GIRL DOESN’T HAVE DNA- SHE’S LYING
If I find out who committed either of these acts, I will see to it that they are hurt in ways that they never imagined possible.
So she bought drinks for a pledge at two different bars. I’m sure that pledge was over 21, right?
what does the pledge’s age have to do with anything?
I second the above post (4:25). Thank heavens you pointed out that vital piece of information, 3:28! Otherwise, this story would have been about some raped woman and a roofied drink. I mean, that would have taken all of our focus away from the primary fact of this article: that underagers are getting drinks from their sorority sisters!! We almost ignored that part of the story entirely!
Everyone, forget this roofie business! Come, let’s scorn the raped woman, not only for being roofied and raped, but also for providing an underager with alcohol! In fact, let’s take it even further—since she is so willing to break the law, the obvious inference to make is that she is willing to lie, right? What a flawless thought progression: (a) she took an underage pledge to bars, (b) she bought that underager drinks, (c) she is obviously a horrible human being with no regard for the law, (d) she must also, then, have little regard for honesty and integrity and morality, (e) she’s lying about this whole situation, and (f) whatever happened is her own fault.
Is that really what you want to be focusing on, 3:28? I hope not—otherwise, you’re some kind of an idiot.
6:07 you say you really want to focus on the major issues, one of which being that she was roofied. as far as I can tell, any and all real evidence says that she was NOT ROOFIED. she admits to being tested in a very reasonable amount of time, and that the results came back NEGATIVE. she admits that the proof says that she was not roofied (clearance levels over that amount of time would with a doubt not lead to a negative result if she was actually roofied) but still insists that she had to of been. the fact that she continues to sensationalize this aspect of the story despite concrete evidence against it speaks to her level of reasoning. no doctor would EVER tell a patient that roofies only remain in your system for one hour (that actually is one of the dumbest things I’ve heard - the drug clearly acts over a much longer time course than that, if you have even a basic understanding of pharmacology you’d understand how dumb that is).
additionaly, a doctor couldnt conclusively tell a patient that she had been raped by different individuals successively (how could you tell the difference between that or one person many times?). continual sensitization of the story at multiple points only makes it all suspect. if you have such concrete evidence go to the cops and let them solve this
Yes 6:07, LETS focus on the issues like her being roofied. Last time I checked, when a tox-screen given shortly after the incident comes back negative (as she freely admits) that means she was not roofied.
i really feel bad for Sigma Chi they don’t deserve this by any means. There is no proof that Sigma Chi committed the crime. And the Badger Herald: Shame on You. As a girl in a sorority at UW, we got our social with Sigma Chi this week cancelled due to this BS. The story is 5 months old and no charge was ever made on Sigma Chi. No facts were provided and no evidence either. The greek community is getting a bad reputation and a bad stereotype because of the Badger Herald not Sigma Chi. Sigma Chi voluntarily put themselves on Social Probation, the university did not put them on social probation. Sigma Chi, we think you are great guys and would never do such a thing.
They are an awesome group of guys. They treat women with respect and dignity and every social we have had with them has run been fun. The Badger Herald’s attempt to ruin one of the best fraternities on campus is absurd.
1:12am really it was incredibly brave… First, It is ridiculous that this has become a victim bashing comment section. Whether or not the BH should have published this story because of the holes is one thing to argue, but to blame her for having the courage to talk to yet another person about what happened to her is significant in and of itself. Don’t you think she went through proper channels 5 months ago? Did you even read the article? The investigation is still ongoing. “you have done nothing to inspire victims of abuse to come out (such as you claim to want), but rather (through your own selfishness) have likely influenced other woman to not come foward since they will be concerned about the backlash you caused (because of the way you handled it).” This makes no sense. People like you are the reason that people don’t come forward. You are the backlash. Talk to any victim and they would agree with me. She’s not selfish she came forward not to spread blame but to remind people the absolutely horrible effects rape has on a victim that affect their whole life.
Wow. Really 8:45pm? You’re upset because your social with Sigma Chi got canceled? You are a disgrace to females all across campus. This is serious issue. So sad for you that one of you precious parties was canceled.
If Sigma Chi is going to have parties and have people stay there on the weekends, then they need to take responsibility for what happens. Even if it proves that no Sigma Chi members were involved, a rape did take place at their house and they need to step up and take responsibility for the actions of those that they choose to associate with. It may not be the most fair thing, but what is fair about rape?
ADDENDUM FROM 6:07
apologies all around. I should have said ‘possible roofie’. I’m shocked at my failure.
the roofie is really not even the point of the story. the point is that someone is claiming to have been brutally violated.
I don’t have a problem with there being an inquiry into this, and I can’t imagine why anyone else would either. Forget the roofie. Even if she had been just passed out drunk, someone is still responsible for taking advantage of her in such a situation, whether it be one person or many.
Do you people realize how dangerous it is to accuse a group of something, and want immediate and serious repercussions without any KNOWN physical evidence or eyewitness accounts? Really, stop and think about that. What if someone accused you of allowing something terrible to happen in your apartment, and just like that YOU are personally smeared in public, evicted and kicked out of school. No trial, no due process, no other proof but one anonymous person’s version of events. That is exactly what is happening here. If there is any corroborating evidence, which is possible but seems unlikely due to the lack of criminal charges, then the proper legal channels will be followed and serious repercussions should follow. We are a country of laws, not of lynch mobs. If a crime is proven, by all means the individuals should be held accountable. Until then please think about the scenario mentioned earlier, and why due process is so important in our society.
Thank you so much for coming out with this. Everyone else reading this, please, if you have been a victim of sexual assault, ask yourself if you are able to tell your story and find justice. Keep being strong.
To the victim and Sigma Chi members and house residents alike:
The night is always darkest just before the dawn. You shall have your justice or your vindication.
I take no side here, but choose to look at a couple of problems that need be addressed, aside from the central issue.
1)The Statute of Limitations
—I am not a Greek community member so I’m not sure if what was said in the interview is true, but if I choose to assume that it is then this is a policy that should be reviewed. I understand the need for such a policy but feel that it cannot be used in such a blanket manner as to cover all acts. Perhaps this is the time to go back and tailor such a policy to provide different time allotments per severity of an act.
(I also premise this by acknowledging that there is no wrong time to come forth with information, whether it be to law enforcement officials, a group’s judicial committee, or solely in seeking help for one’s self)
2) The UW needs to address how their deans are conducting themselves when handling cases involving such sensitivity.
—Again, choosing to assume the callousness of the dean who spoke with victim is accurate, the UW has to take steps to ensure that such is not only far from the norm, but that it never occurs when dealing with cases like this. Even if just for the sake public perception (in the most cynical case) the UW must appear to be supportive of its students who have been a victim of a crime, no matter what that might have been.
Finally, I’d like to remind everyone that here at the UW we have a program called SAFE Nighttime Services. If you, someone you know, or someone that’s in your house needs to get home, utilize the service. It’s there for us and it’s free. (608)-262-5000
March 4 @ 5:10
I got roofied (proven by a drug test i received early the next morning) and I managed to throw a violent fit and ended up kicking a cop in the face….so i’m pretty sure that qualifies as “walking and functioning” I don’t know I miiiight even had been able to stand on my feet for a game of beer pong or two. Take my advice and try not to refute a story that you (a) cannot relate to, and (b) apparently cannot even form a plausible argument against.
8:46pm - Are you seriously complaining because the social got canceled? You need to get your priorities in order. You make me sick.
I am really shocked at the ignorance and lack of compassion people have shown for this case. It is really disgusting to read your comments. Clearly you have no understanding of the reality of sexual violence and the trauma this problem brings to our society. I promise you that a woman you know has been a victim of a similar situation whether you know it or not.
I worked as a counselor for victims of sexual violence and am amazing and so proud of these two women for coming forward with their stories. I am looking forward to learning about the justice that will be served in this case.
WOW. I can not believe that people are still questioning the fact of whether it happened or not. Seriously? How idiotic do you have to be NOT to believe it? She went to the hospital and DNA was collected from her. From the brutality of the event it is OBVIOUS.
It makes me so sick to think that people would choose to defend the criminal over the victim.
I don’t know how many people here know about rape but it is not an exact science in the least bit. Rape does not always mean sex either it can refer to unwanted sexual advances when the victim was coherent or not. As for this story there are a few things I want to say. As a victim myself I can see too much in this to know that it is a true story. Having a dramatic change of trust with men, feeling dirty/ugly, and other small comments makes it obvious to me that she definitely is not calling rape just to go after a fraternity. In the same breath I would like people to understand the underlying message here; the view of rape in the USA is flawed. It is not a creepy man that just jumps out of the bushes and rapes the girl. It happened to me with a man I knew well and was respected in the place I lived. The thing is our society doesn’t want to cope with the fact that there are men out there that appear kind and nice that can viciously rape someone because we really do want to believe that we can indeed be fooled. I also would like to say this does go above and beyond the Greek life in Madison. The victim is trying to get other victims to speak, not exactly to destroy Greek life on campus.
Drunk or not, this girl was brutally attacked and injured. Regardless of her drinking habits and what some suspect may have been consensual, no one asks to be beaten, bruised and bloodied!
Lies! Sigma Chi Rulez!