FREDERICA FREYBERG:
THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES STATEWIDE, AND STUDENTS, INCLUDING AT UW-MADISON, HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS. ALL INCOMING FRESHMEN ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE WORKSHOP ON HOW TO PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DATING VIOLENCE. FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATES REQUIRE ALL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO HAVE SUCH PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS. TO TALK ABOUT UW-MADISON’S “END VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS” PROGRAM, WE’RE JOINED BY CARMEN HOTVEDT, MANAGER OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND VICTIM ADVOCACY AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES. AND CARMEN, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
THANKS SO MUCH.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
CLEARLY THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES A FEDERAL MANDATE BECAUSE HOW PREVALENT ARE SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DATA BUT SOME OF OUR BEST, LARGER SCALE DATA INDICATES THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ONE IN FOUR AND ONE IN FIVE COLLEGE-AGE WOMEN EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION, SO TOUCHING OR PENETRATION WITHOUT CONSENT, BETWEEN THE TIME THEY ENTER AND LEAVE COLLEGE. SO CLEARLY A PROBLEM OF VAST PROPORTION.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
WHAT ABOUT HERE AT UW-MADISON?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
WE ANTICIPATE THAT OUR VICTIMIZATION RATES ARE ABOUT ON PAR WITH NATIONAL VICTIMIZATION RATES, THAT IT IS AS MUCH A PROBLEM HERE AS IT IS ANYWHERE ELSE.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMIZED WHO ACTUALLY REPORT IT?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
WE KNOW THAT REPORTING IS A DECISION THAT REALLY RESTS ON EVERY SURVIVOR TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICES FOR THEMSELVES. AND WE KNOW IT’S A REALLY UNDERREPORTED CRIME BOTH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES LIKE UWPD OR MADISON POLICE AS WELL AS THE INSTITUTIONAL PROCESS. YOU COULD REPORT TO YOUR CAMPUS AND NOT HAVE TO GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IF YOU WANTED. AND THAT IS AN UNDERREPORTED SYSTEM AS WELL.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
SO IF IT’S UNDERREPORTED, THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU STARTED BY TELLING US ABOUT COULD BE MUCH HIGHER.
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
THEY COULD BE, BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE USUALLY BASED ON VICTIMIZATION ACCESSMENTS RATHER THAN CRIME DATA.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
SO THE UW MANDATES THIS EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR INCOMING STUDENTS CALLED “TONIGHT.” CAN YOU MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THAT?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
WHAT WE CAN MEASURE IS WHETHER OR NOT IT CHANGES STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE. MOST STUDENTS ARE COMING TO COLLEGE WITH VAST MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DATING VIOLENCE. IT’S A STRANGER IN THE BUSH. THEY HAVE SOME MAYBE RACIST ASSUMPTIONS THAT OUR CULTURE BREEDS ABOUT WHO PERPETRATES. AND SO WHAT WE CAN MEASURE IS WHETHER OR NOT IT CHANGES THE PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT THESE CRIMES ARE. THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SURVIVORS, IT CREATES MORE DESIRABLE ATTITUDES AROUND SOME OF THE UNDERLYING CAUSES. RIGID GENDER-NORM ADHERENCE OR RIGID ATTITUDES ABOUT VICTIMS THAT BLAME THEM FOR THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES. SO ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THOSE ATTITUDES AND INCREASING THEIR LIKELIHOOD TO INTERVENE IF THEY SEE A RED FLAG FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OR DATING VIOLENCE, EVEN IF THEY’RE NOT THE VICTIM, THEY’RE NOT THE PERPETRATOR. CAN THEY BE AN ACTIVE BYSTANDER TO INTERRUPT OR INTERVENE IN THAT SITUATION.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
WHAT’S AN EXAMPLE OF A RED FLAG?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
A RED FLAG, JEALOUSY IN DATING VIOLENCE, SOMEONE WHO’S PLYING SOMEONE WITH DRINKS AT A PARTY IN ORDER TO REALLY LOOSEN THEM UP, WHICH IS OFTENTIMES CODE FOR GETTING THEM VULNERABLE SO THEY CAN’T RESIST OR CAN’T CONSENT.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
WHAT ROLE DOES ALCOHOL PLAY?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
HUGE. HUGE ROLE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES. ALCOHOL IS USED VERY INTENTIONALLY BY PERPETRATORS TO RENDER VICTIMS INCAPACITATED. WE ALSO KNOW THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN SOME HIGH-RISK DRINKING AT LARGE SO THAT MIGHT BE A SEPARATE PUBLICH HEALTH CONCERN THAT WE WOULD HOPE TO ADDRESS AND HELP STUDENTS MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES ABOUT. ALCOHOL DOESN’T CAUSE SEXUAL ASSAULT, BUT CERTAINLY DOES MAKE VICTIMS MORE VULNERABLE TO ATTEMPTS OF PERPETRATORS. AT UW-MADISON WE DO HAVE A POLICY THOUGH THAT PROHIBITS THE POLICE OR THE DEAN’S OFFICE OR HOUSING FROM TAKING SANCTIONS AGAINST SOMEONE WHO REPORTS THAT THEY’VE BEEN A VICTIM OF CRIME, EVEN IF THEY’RE UNDERAGE DRINKING.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
HOW HAS THE UNIVERSITY’S APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
I THINK ABOUT WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AND I GOT A RAPE WHISTLE AND I GOT TOLD TO SCREAM NO MEANS NO. WE DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT THAT ACTUALLY STOPPED PERPETRATION, HELPED VICTIMS. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PAST 40 OR 20 YEARS, COLLEGE CAMPUSES HAVE REALLY TURNED TO THE EVIDENCE AND THE EVIDENCE SAYS INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF BYSTANDERS IS CRUCIAL. DECREASING VICTIM BLAMING AND REALLY ADDRESSING VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS. REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT FIRST-TIME PERPETRATION. AND THOSE ARE THE STRATEGIES WE WANT TO UTILIZE MOVING FORWARD ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
WE HAVE JUST ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT. WHAT SERVICES AND OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS HERE?
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
SO AT ANY CAMPUS YOU CAN GO TO NOTALONE.GOV AND LOOK AT THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES NEAR YOUR CAMPUS. AT UW-MADISON, WE HAVE A SET OF BOTH CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCES THAT WON’T TRIGGER A REPORT AS WELL AS REPORTING OPTIONS. THEY CAN GET A VICTIM ADVOCATE FROM A LOCAL RAPE CRISIS CENTER AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES. THEY CAN ALSO FILE A REPORT TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE OR THE UWPD.
FREDERICA FREYBERG:
CARMEN HOTVEDT, THANKS VERY MUCH.
CARMEN HOTVEDT:
THANKS SO MUCH.
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News Stories from PBS Wisconsin
02/03/25
‘Here & Now’ Highlights: State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, Jane Graham Jennings, Chairman Tehassi Hill

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