My name is Nicole Tautges and I happen to be an avid NPR listener. So, when I was listening to my daily dose of Morning Edition, I heard an expos� as part of an ongoing series about college campus rape cases. One of the girls featured in the story was named Laura Dunn, who attended University of Wisconsin-Madison, where her incident occurred. I knew these terrible events happen on our campus, as last year I was acquainted with a girl who had such a thing happen to her, but to hear it on national radio was another thing.

I think you should be aware that many students here are conscious that these things happen on our campus all the time, and that it is — quite obviously — a problem. The story goes on to explain that colleges rarely take any decisive or effective action against the attackers, and that they remain on the college campuses to continue assaulting vulnerable women. I know this happens; I’ve seen it as a student here. Now that our college in particular has been exposed nationally, people across the U.S. listening to this story will associate indifference and toleration of vicious, brutal crimes against women and an unsafe campus with UW-Madison. I don’t want that for this school and I’m sure faculty and administrators don’t either.

I think such an expos� deserves a response from UW, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who heard it. [Dean of Students Lori Berquam responded to this issue Feb. 25 �- Ed.] I hope to hear that the university will take action in response to this problem, and that women’s rights will start being upheld properly by a school that prides itself on setting a standard. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Nicole Tautges