According to the 2003 Statistical Report of Sexual Assaults for the University of Wisconsin, there were 17 assaults reported on campus last year. The highest concentration of assaults occurred when a victim and an assailant were acquaintances while a smaller concentration was seen when a victim and an assailant were mere strangers.

Edie Brogan, founder of the crime-prevention office and sergeant of the UW Police Department noted, “stranger assault is practically unheard of on campus.”

This data has remained relatively similar over the years with a total of 13 forcible sex offenses in 2002 and 14 in 2001. The continuous existence of sexual assaults on campus can be significantly intertwined with many individuals’ alcohol abuse.

“Students continuously put themselves in jeopardy by misusing alcohol,” Brogan said. “The UWPD has been educating on this issue for many years now, yet it is impossible to keep people safe from themselves when they engage in unsafe behaviors.”

Now more then ever, individuals are more inclined to report cases of assault, yet in concurrence with the increase of reports is the problem of false reporting by students.

“It is a big enough problem that sexual assault often goes unreported, yet it is even worse when the assault never occurred or was a consensual act,” Brogan said.

The University Police Department in conjunction with University Health Services aims to educate incoming students who attend the university. During Summer Orientation, Advising and Registration, information regarding sexual assaults and assistance, such as Safe Ride, is provided to both students and parents. Immediately upon entering the university, ways to remain safe are embedded in the minds of students so that they will be able to make choices to avoid instances of violence.

Dean of Students Luoluo Hong, herself a rape survivor, aids in the prevention of victimization on campus yet also seeks to focus attention on those that commit these crimes.

“A victim can do everything right but still become victimized. In order to truly prevent violence we need to understand the motivation of its potential perpetrators,” Hong said.

It is known that young men perpetrate 95 percent of all forms of interpersonal violence in U.S. society. Hong noted that mainstream culture and societal pressures aid in these acts of violence.

UHS is an avid supporter of prevention and intervention of violence on campus. Faculty works together with groups such as the student organizations Promoting Awareness – Victim Empowerment, Men Making a Difference and the Campus Women Center to spread awareness throughout campus.

In the spring, during Sexual Assault Prevention Month, UHS will sponsor a climbing wall supporting the notion that “you can do something to prevent sexual assault,” said Daná Alder of UHS.

The police department and the university say precautions such as locking your doors or always having a buddy with you is important for other acts related to crime on campus.

In 2002, there were 37 acts of burglary and four acts of robbery reported on campus. In addition, an emergence of interpersonal violence in the arena of group violence and fan behavior is a problem under scrutiny at the university, and many other colleges around the country. According to Hong, there is a large range of fan behaviors that may cause concern.

“Behavior ranges from profane chants/cheers (which are not forms of violence in my mind) to actual physical attacks on visiting team fans,” Hong said.

“Luoluo’s Fan Behavior Group,” is a group of student activists who has taken a stab at this problem this year.

“They have been joined by students from the Wisconsin Union Directorate, Associated Students Madison, fraternities and sororities, Badger Fan Club and the Iron Cross Society to lead in attempts to curb fan behavior at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center,” Hong stated. “They have creative and positive ideas for change to implement in the fall of 2004.”

UWPD also sends a representative to attend student meetings regarding fan behavior and is eager to assist in providing a safe atmosphere at these athletic venues.

“I think in the end, many of the same societal factors, such as our desensitization to cruelty and excessive alcohol consumption, that affect interpersonal violence relate to group violence and fan behavior as well,” Hong said.