In a move some may consider nine years too late, the city of Madison last week officially apologized to a local rape victim whose reports of sexual assault were long believed unfounded.

The "Patty resolution," spearheaded by City Council President Austin King, passed through the council in a 15-2 vote. It began in early October and came as a response to the 1997 sexual assault of a visually impaired Madison resident known to the community as "Patty."

After the attack, the Madison Police Department and other officials questioned the woman's story and charged her with filing a false report, which was not dropped for more than seven months after the case. Patty's attacker was only identified this year because of her perseverance.

"[Patty's case] is just so clearly one of the most enormous, colossal failures this city has perpetrated, and I think we have an opportunity to begin to make it right," King said. "I think government could solve a lot of problems — but I'm damn sure government should be solving problems it created."

The resolution not only provides Patty with $35,000 compensation for her legal expenses in the case and a formal apology, but it also calls for changes in MPD policy regarding rape victims and a 10-year suspension of city contracting with law firm Axley Brynelson.

University of Wisconsin student Laura Dunn, a rape survivor herself, said the resolution is especially important for college students. On the UW campus, she added, only 5 percent of all sexual assault cases are reported, and she said the Patty resolution would help victims feel more comfortable reporting crimes.

And while some council members questioned their degree of responsibility in the case and the appropriateness of the resolution, Dunn said the City of Madison was responsible for Patty's hardships.

Ald. Judy Compton, District 16, on the other hand, said the resolution will become a slippery slope in which the city gives money to more and more rape victims. By passing the Patty resolution, she added, it will become difficult to draw the line on who is eligible for city funds.

"The 35,000 is a problem to me because I heard three people speak tonight who could come back and say 'you owe me money,'" Compton said. "It has nothing to do with my feelings about rape."

Emergency contraception

Patty's case, however, was not the only controversial resolution the council debated at Tuesday's meeting. In a different resolution, the council voted 14-3 to require pharmacies that do not offer emergency contraception to post a sign telling customers where they can purchase Plan B, also known as the "morning-after pill."

Ald. Jed Sanborn, District 1, who voted against the ordinance, said the resolution is simply a "political statement."

"There are some states that have laws that require abortion doctors to have material about adoption available and material about the potential physical and psychological effects of abortion, and I strongly oppose those laws," he said. "And I oppose this one for the same reason — it's nanny-stateism."

But Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, called emergency contraception a "real health issue," and not just a political statement. The resolution allows for increased access to the morning-after pill for women, he added, without interfering with or mandating businesses.

"The amount of people who misunderstand what Plan B or the morning-after pill is versus the abortion pill is astronomical," Brandon said. "The educational component alone is worthwhile."

And according to Ald. Robbie Webber, District 5, the resolution paves the way to laws similar to those in Illinois requiring all pharmacies to carry emergency contraception as a resource to women.

"I'll be introducing a resolution … to ask that the Legislature pass laws [like Illinois'] as well," Webber added. "I'm hoping this is something we will see very quickly in the state of Wisconsin."