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SPRING PRACTICE: The football squad takes the field in the first scrimmage of the year
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Monday, April 6, 2009
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH A monthlong series focused on sexual violence in America and on the UW-Madison campus in an effort to dispel myths and educate students, including weekly feature articles and daily facts.
Acquaintance assaults skew reported numbers By Beth Pickhard THE DAILY CARDINAL
It is a typical Friday night and you are walking home from your favorite bar with a friend you met in your chemistry class last week. He KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL
To protest the United States’ involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrators march from Library Mall to the Capitol Saturday.
Protestors want change in U.S. war involvement By Joe Skurzewski THE DAILY CARDINAL
Antiwar protesters marched from Library Mall to the Capitol Saturday to voice their opposition to the United States’ presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rally, organized by the Madison Area Peace Coalition, featured speeches from students and veterans representing groups such as the Campus Anti-war Network and Iraq Veterans Against the War. Protesters criticized the Obama administration for its actions with regard to the two wars. “I think that the lack of accountability of our government, as well as the violence, comes down through our whole society and our reputation in the world,” said Joelle Petersen, a volunteer for MAPC. UW-Madison senior Jessie Otradovec spoke to the crowd on behalf of CAN. “[Obama] uses rhetoric to rejus-
tify the occupation of Iraq as a project of securing the country and leaving,” she said. Otradovec also said that the social status of women in Afghanistan has actually worsened since the invasions, citing legislation that she said made it illegal for an Afghan woman to refuse her husband’s sexual advances. Members of IVAW also criticized the actions of the current administration. Madison native Nathan Toth served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt during the initial invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. “That’s not real change. That’s not the change that the American people wanted,” he said. Chants of “no blood for oil” and “no justice, no peace” rang in the air as the crowd marched down State Street. Customers in restaurants along the march page 3
Iowa court rules against gay marriage ban By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously Friday that Iowa’s gay marriage ban is unconstitutional, making it the first state in the Midwest to grant same-sex couples the right to marry. The ruling overrides a state statute that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. According to the court decision, this statute violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution. Fair Wisconsin Executive Director Glenn Carlson said it is too early to say if the decision in Iowa will start a trend of gay marriage acceptance
in the rest of the Midwest. However, Gov. Doyle’s budget proposal would grant domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples. “I think it’s a big step for Iowa. We’re far from getting there in Wisconsin, but we are pushing vigorously for the domestic-partnership protection provisions that are in the governor’s budget proposal,” Carlson said. Although Iowa does not have residency requirements for marriage licenses, Wisconsin’s recently amended constitution does not recognize samesex marriages, and a state law makes it a crime for citizens to enter into such marriage page 3
By The Numbers: TOTAL SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTS
Wisconsin 2007: 1,223 2006: 1,242 2005: 1,142 UW System 2007: 188 2006: 191 2005: 188 UW-Madison 2007: 42 2006: 46 2005: 43
takes you to your door to say good night. For some young women, a ‘good night’ will not mark the end of the evening. For some young women, the night could spiral out of their control. Kelly Anderson, director of the Dane County Rape Crisis Center, said acquaintance assaults could be the reason victims often do not report the crime. On the UW-Madison campus, numerous sexual assaults go unreported each year. According to the UW System Sexual Assault Report, 42 victims of sexual assault reported the crime to officials on the UW-Madison campus in 2007, but 1,223 sexual assaults were reported throughout Wisconsin. There were 248,300 reported assaults in the United States. Anderson said the figures are misleading because sexual assault is an underreported crime. According to Anderson, the U.S. Department of Justice determined only 40 percent of sexual assault victims file a report. She said people who work directly with victims think the rate is much lower. “Those of us who work in the field say it’s probably as low as 10 or 20 percent who do report to law enforcement,” she said.
According to Anderson, between 85 and 90 percent of sexual assaults are committed by somebody the victim knows. “The number-one place for sexual assault is either at the perpetrator’s home or the victim’s home,” Anderson said. “They are not a stranger in a dark alley.” “I think the nature of sexual assault is so personal that it makes it different from other sorts of crimes.” Kevin Helmkamp assistant dean of students UW-Madison
Anderson said reporting rates for victims assaulted by a stranger are significantly higher because they lack the relationship an acquaintance assault has. “There is this process of coming to understand that this person hurt me and meant to hurt me and didn’t care about me,” Anderson said. “That’s a lot assaults page 3
Common Council races approach finish line By Rachel Holzman THE DAILY CARDINAL
Candidates for District 8 and District 2 alder are busy with lastminute campaigning to prepare for Tuesday’s elections, which they hope will have decent voter turnout. District 8 candidates Bryon Eagon and Mark Woulf, both 21 years old, are vying for Eli Judge’s position as a representative of a district comprised mostly of UW-Madison students. Eagon has focused his campaign on campus safety while proposing a neighborhood watch program and cab stand to help curb crime. He is confident about Tuesday’s election and hopes students realize the importance of voting. “Its important for students to recognize the importance of local elections,” Eagon said. “Oftentimes, issues on the local level impact students’ day-to-day life even more than state or national issues.”
Woulf has also focused much of his campaign for alder on campus and downtown safety relating to alcohol and bar issues. He urges students to get out and vote because, as he saw in the primary where he made the cut by only
seven votes, every vote counts. “This election is not just about the city, it’s about the students,” Woulf said. “Hopefully voter turnout will be better than the primary, and I want races page 3
REBECCA LI/CARDINAL FILE PHOTOS
Candidates Bryon Eagon and Mark Woulf have both focused on campus safety in their campaigns for District 8 alder.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”