The University of Wisconsin-Madison said it received two reports of possible drugging incidents and sexual assaults on Sunday, Sept. 27, according to a WiscAlert email sent Monday.
In one incident, a victim reported they may have been drugged at an off-campus fraternity house overnight Sept. 26-27 and may have been groped while dancing, which is fourth-degree sexual assault, Madison Police Department (MPD) spokesperson Stephanie Fryer told The Daily Cardinal.
The victim also reported being fondled at two separate fraternity houses, according to the WiscAlert email.
MPD officers responded to the incident, but the victim did not provide information about a possible suspect or identify the fraternity, according to Fryer.
MPD considers the case closed because the victim chose not to pursue an investigation, Fryer told the Cardinal.
In a separate incident, a different victim reported they may have been drugged at an off-campus fraternity house on Sept. 17 and later sexually assaulted at a southeast residence hall.
The victim and suspect know each other, according to the email.
There is no active UWPD investigation, University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department Executive Director of Communications Marc Lovicott told the Cardinal.
The crime warnings come amid national attention surrounding a reopened criminal investigation into sexual assault allegations involving seven former members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity.
“UW-Madison takes allegations, such as those identified in today’s Crime Warning, seriously,” Gillian Drummond, director of public affairs for the UW-Madison Office of Strategic Communication told the Cardinal. “Several UW-Madison offices and programs coordinate closely to respond to reports of sexual misconduct and ensure both support and accountability.”
According to Drummond, the Office of Compliance reviews reports of alleged violations of UW-Madison’s Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Policy.
The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigates registered student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, suspected of violating state law, university policy or student organization policies.
UW-Madison said in the email it prohibits sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual harassment and sexual exploitation, which may violate university policy and Wisconsin law.
The university emphasized sexual assault is never the victim’s fault and encouraged students to communicate clearly about consent and recognize that someone incapacitated by drugs or alcohol cannot consent.
