On Oct. 16, University Of Wisconsin-Whitewater Police Services received a report that a sexual assault occurred on Oct 15 in Lee residence hall. No arrests have been made in the case, but the alleged suspect has been temporarily banned from all residence halls.

Students received a Timely Warning email to inform them of the assault.

Police services have been sending email notifications more frequently in order to make students aware of what is happening on campus.

“What you’re seeing is we have done a better job of implementing the appropriate notifications,” Matthew Kiederlen, Chief of Police for UW-Whitewtaer Police Servies said. “We’re being more stringent on ensuring that we’re putting stuff out.

Previously, a Timely Warning was not sent out if Police Services  had already identified the offender, or if the situation was controlled. Recently, University Police Servies has been sending out notifications even if they do not have someone in custody or if the investigation has not been squared away. 

“We’re not seeing an increase in numbers, we’re seeing an increase in the information that’s being made public,” Kiederlen said. “We want to give people the information so they can act appropriately and protect themselves.”

With the information being available for safety reasons it is also important to understand how a majority of these sexual assaults occur on our campus.

“The vast majority of sexual assaults that occur on our campus are very typically a female and a male that have agreed to a place and a time where they’re meeting,” Kierderlen said. “And things go wrong, someone does something that they didn’t have permission to do.”

Kierderlen urges students to pay attention to their surroundings and the people they are involved with, especially if drugs or alcohol
are present.

“I think I would ask people to please be cognizant of your friends, and their condition,” Kierderlen said.