The University of Wisconsin released a statement Wednesday addressing the leak of sensitive photos and videos of the women’s volleyball team. The players are not being investigated for wrongdoing and will be provided with appropriate resources to support their well-being, the statement said.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the photos and video were from a team member’s phone and were taken in the locker room.

The photos and videos were shared without the team’s consent and were never meant to be seen by the public, according to the statement.

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“The unauthorized sharing is a significant and wrongful violation of the student-athlete’s privacy, including potential violations of university policies and criminal statutes,” the statement said.

UW and UWPD were unable to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation and the privacy of the student-athletes.

“I can confirm our department is involved and investigating,” UWPD Executive Director of Communications, Marc Lovicott said in an email statement to The Badger Herald.

In Wisconsin it is a Class A misdemeanor to post or facilitate the posting of private images without consent and can result in a maximum fine of $10,000 and nine months imprisonment.

The circulation of the photo and the publicity surrounding it shows the increased vulnerability of student-athletes who are always in the limelight, Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment UW Chair Dani Rosen said.

“I think it shows how clearly alive and well that culture is of cyber sexual assault [at UW] is,” Rosen said.

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PAVE is dedicated to empowering sexual violence survivors, focusing less on the legal aspect of the issue, Rosen said. PAVE sees the sharing of private photos without consent as a condemnable offense, regardless of what UWPD determines, Rosen said.

The high-profile status of student-athletes can cause individuals to feel exposed to the public when an event such as this occurs, Rosen said. It is also important to recognize that other students face similar struggles with fewer resources, though it draws less attention from the public.

“I also don’t necessarily think it matters that they were student-athletes. I think what matters is they’re students…” Rosen said.

Resources regarding sexual violence:

• UHS Survivor Services: [email protected], 608-265-5600 ext 3
  • www.uhs.wisc.edu/survivor/ Self-schedule using the Starfish app
• Rape Crisis Center: (608)-251-7273
• Let’s Talk: uhs.wisc.edu/wellness/lets-talk
  • “Sex, Sexuality and Healthy Relationships” section
• Room to be Safe: For Queer survivors of violence: (414) 856-LGBT (5428)
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to accurately reflect Rosen’s viewpoint and statement regarding the issue.