A 19-year-old University of Wisconsin female student was sexually assaulted just after midnight Nov. 21. The attack occurred on the 100 block of Langdon Street after the victim walked home alone from a downtown bar.
According to a Madison police press release, the woman entered the front door of her security-locked building and walked up the stairwell. She was then grabbed from behind and pushed down the stairs.
Her unknown male attacker attempted to rip off her clothing items while she struggled for approximately 20 seconds. The victim was able to break free from her attacker, flee to a nearby room and call police.
The suspect is described as a white male wearing a knee-length black coat and black hood over his head. No further description was available, according to the release.
During the attack, the suspect was able to steal the victim’s purse.
Police are urging anyone with suspect information to call Crimestoppers at 266-6014.
Aaron Mann, a UW sophomore living on Langdon Street, said people are susceptible to attack anywhere but that the Langdon Street area doesn’t strike him as “threatening.”
Mann lives in an apartment building with an exterior lock where the doors are not often propped open. According to Mann, someone could enter the building by waiting and catching the door.
He said the most important thing women can do to remain safe on campus is to have someone walk them home.
“Don’t walk home by yourself, have a guy friend or someone walk you home,” Mann said. “Even if they walk you to your building door, it’s better than nothing.”
Several purse thefts and attacks of UW female students occurred earlier this semester. Two incidences of robbery took place Saturday Sept. 4, on the 500 block of N. Pickney St. at 2:13 a.m. and on the 600 block of N. Henry St. at 3:32 a.m. Both women received only minor injuries during the attacks.
A 21-year-old female UW student was also robbed Oct. 1, on the corner of West Johnson Street and State Street. The woman was with a group of friends when the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her purse and ran.
