An alleged attack on a Native American student at UW-Madison has inspired a group of students and faculty to organize a hate crime watchdog group called People Opposing Prejudice.
After allegedly being assaulted earlier this semester in a racially motivated encounter, Kyle Aragon, an American Indian, dropped out of school, and the incident garnered little immediate attention. POP, consisting of student organizations and faculty members, has been created to make sure these types of occurrences no longer go unnoticed.
\We'll use Kyle's case as our starting point. From there we plan on using a coalition of student organizations to publicize other cases of violence,"" said UW-Madison freshman Quilen Blackwell, a spokesperson for the group.
According to Blackwell, the organization will attempt to use public opinion as a deterrent towards preventing future attacks, as well as make students realize the seriousness of hate issues on campus.
Lori Berquam, associate dean in the dean of students office, said it is difficult to estimate the number of hate crimes on campus because authorities are often given information from anonymous sources and some incidents go completely unreported.
""It's a historically underrepresented crime,"" Berquam said.
Aragon's alleged attack occurred during the DeJope Bingo referendum. There is often a connection with larger events in hate crimes, Berquam said.
""Whatever is happening nationally or in the media certainly would set off someone to initiate a hate crime,"" she said.
Blackwell said POP members hope to decrease incidents such as Aragon's by making the community aware immediately after something happens. Blackwell added his group's actions will vary depending on the severity of each particular incident, but cited possible tactics of notifying the press and organizing rallies in support of victims.
Though Aragon's alleged attack was racially motivated, POP members will not focus exclusively on racially motivated crimes.
""Our group will be dealing with any act of violence or hate that occurs,"" Blackwell said.
Although the Dean of Students Office sponsors the Speak Up Program for victims of hate crimes, Brian Jenks, Associated Students of Madison campus relations chair and UW-Madison junior, said he thinks hate crime victims may find it easier to talk to other students, rather than administrators, about their experience.
Christopher Loving, president of the Black Student Union and UW-Madison junior, agreed the organization will reach an underserved niche.
""You can go to the dean of students, but I'm just afraid that sometimes even they can't do enough,"" he said.
-Emily Winter contributed to this report.
