Last week, two women were beaten and robbed in the same area within half an hour of each other. According to the Madison Police Department, at approximately 11 p.m. Oct. 8, the first victim, a 66-year-old woman, was knocked down from behind by a large female assailant.
As the victim lay on the ground, the female attacker and a male accomplice attempted to steal her bag, according to Madison police.
The two attackers then fled the scene in a small red hatchback-style vehicle after stealing the victim’s possessions. The victim, who suffered a broken shoulder and ankle as well as a blow to the face, was rushed to a local hospital after authorities arrived.
The second victim was attacked, only a half-hour later, in the Open Pantry parking lot located at 437 W. Gorham St. Two males approached the 19-year-old female from behind and began pulling on her backpack. After receiving several blows to the back and shoulders, the victim surrendered the backpack to her attackers, who then fled with a female accomplice in a red hatchback automobile.
Madison police say they think the same people committed these two crimes.
According to Victoria Bomben, a member of the Campus Women’s Center, these incidents highlight a larger issue: women’s safety in the campus area.
“Feeling safe walking down the street is an incredibly large issue for every woman and everyone,” Bomben said.
She added that safety on the streets for women is a must.
“It is unfortunately a reality that there are different steps a woman needs to take to feel safer,” Bomben said.
Bomben said the Campus Women’s Center encourages safe travel for women during evening hours; however, Bomben said she believes it should not be a woman’s responsibility to stay safe.
“I think that this issue puts a lot of the pressure on women to prevent a problem that really isn’t caused by them,” she said.
Bomben said she thinks those who assault women need to be more informed about the actions they choose to take.
“The goal of the center is to protect women in the area and to keep everyone informed about what they can do to prevent things [like the beatings and robberies] of females in the campus area,” Bomben said.
