A Madison female was sexually assaulted early Saturday morning, Madison police reported.
The victim was picked up in a van driven by two suspects on the 500 block of E. Wilson Street at 4:00 a.m. Saturday and was later assaulted at an unknown location, according to the Madison Police Department. This is the second weekend in a row police have reported a sexual assault near campus.
The MPD said the victim, a 23-year-old Madison woman, was leaving the bars downtown and thought her friend was with her as the bars began to empty. However, instead of going home with her friend, the victim wound up in a van driven by the two suspects. One suspect eventually got out of the van, while the other drove the victim to an undisclosed location and ""violently sexually assaulted"" her in the vehicle, police said.
MPD Central District Commander Capt. Mary Schauf said whenever alcohol is involved or suspected to be involved in a case, it creates difficult barriers for police to overcome.
""I'm not saying those are the specifics with this case, but we've got people putting themselves into situations [that are dangerous],"" Schauf said, adding that it is important to remind students and residents that they must take all measures necessary to remain safe.
The police report said the victim had no prior acquaintance with the two suspects. As the woman was being driven to an unidentified location, she attempted to contact friends from her cell phone, but no one answered, the police report said.
MPD spokesperson Mike Hanson said that although two are suspected in the case, only one committed the act of sexual assault. The suspects, according to police, are two Hispanic males. One male is reportedly in his mid 20s and was wearing a dark T-shirt at the time of the assault. The other suspect has no description as of press time.
Hanson also said it is unknown whether the victim is affiliated with UW-Madison and said that she has been released from the hospital.
Schauf said despite the expected increase in crime during warm-weather months, police are doing everything they can to stop crime.
""We really have to rely on the educational component for a case like this last weekend's,"" Schauf said. ""You want people to make choices that make them safer.""
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the fact that another assault occurred in the downtown area reiterates the concern for personal safety.
Still, some argue that personal safety aside, more needs to be done. Rob Williams, a Wilson Street resident, said the assaults that have taken place over the academic year need to be handled better.
""It's probably our biggest problem,"" Williams said. ""It hasn't been handled [well] on campus, nor has it been handled very well elsewhere.""
""For me to think that we will wipe out crime in the downtown area, that's just not realistic,"" Schauf said. ""To me, if at the end of the year, we can say X number of people were not victimized or even the victimization decreased, we still win.""
