This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call RAINN’s national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
MADISON, Wis. — In response to the violent sexual and physical assault of a University of Wisconsin-Madison student, the UW-Madison campus police are reminding students about the importance of safety.
Jeff Kirchman is the acting public information officer for the UW-Madison Police Department.
He said what happened on Sunday morning was horrible and he and his team want to do everything they can to make sure students are safe on and off campus.
“You get some of the best advice in kindergarten and the buddy system is one of those,” said Kirchman. “When people are going out, especially at night, we really encourage them to buddy up or go out with a group.”
Kirchman said while his department does not condone underage drinking, he and his coworkers understand that it happens.
The campus police adopted the Medical Amnesty program which protects students who may have been underage drinking but need to contact the police for medical attention.
“You were drinking alcohol underage, but more importantly, you made the right choice and you called for help for your friend and that's the kind of behavior that we want to support,” said Kirchman.
Per university policy, "when a student calls on behalf of an impaired individual, remains with that individual until assistance arrives, fully cooperates with emergency responders, and attends any follow-up meeting[s] requested by university staff [OSCCS or Dean of Students Office] the caller will not be subject to disciplinary actions as outlined in Non-Academic Misconduct [UWS 17 and/or UWS 18]...”
On top of medical amnesty, students also have access to the Badger SAFE app.
John Mchugh is a student at UW-Madison and an intern with the campus police. He helped develop the Badger SAFE app.
“We wanted to make one stop where students could find everything they need to be safe on campus,” said Mchugh.
Features offerd in the app include:
- Friend Walk: Send your location in real-time to a friend or family member. They’ll be able to track you as you walk to your destination. If necessary, they can trigger a call to emergency services
- Safety Alerts: Receive Off-Campus Emergency Alerts: These push notifications through the Badger SAFE app alert the community about significant threats in certain areas off the UW-Madison campus or in areas where a large number of our students live or frequently visit.
- Connect with UWPD: Use this one button feature to call or text with a UWPD Dispatcher. In emergencies, always call or text 911.
- “I’m OK” Feature: Sends your location and a message to a recipient of your choice letting them know that you’re OK. Use this button during an emergency or critical incident to inform your friends and family that you’re safe.
Mchugh said this app is meant to be an updated version of WiscGaurdian. It has already been downloaded by many students.
“It has been really exciting; I have seen a lot of people use it,” said Mchugh. “I have talked with people about how they have used it and where it has been on campus; we have gotten a ton of downloads so far.”
While the app was made for students, it is available for anyone to download and can be used by parents and Madison community members.
You can download the app by following these links: