Wisconsin legislators are proposing a bill that would ensure sexual assault victims and others who report such crimes can’t be cited or disciplined for underage drinking.
State Rep. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, introduced the bill on Monday at a news conference.
“It’s time that we do something to help the victims of sexual assault,” Ballweg said. “This legislation would provide underage victims of sexual assault some peace of mind when deciding to come forward to report their assault.”
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Amnesty would also apply to friends who help sexual assault victims get medical attention or report the crime to police. The goal is to increase extremely low rates for reporting sexual assault to authorities.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is among law enforcement officials backing the bill.
“This legislation recognizes head-on that perpetrators of sexual assault routinely use alcohol as a weapon to weaken the defenses of their victims,” Schimel said.
The measure is also receiving support from campus police at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It’s already UW policy not to cite victims of sexual assault for underage drinking.
A nationwide survey on campus sexual assault released last fall showed alcohol often plays a large role. At UW-Madison, more than 70 percent of alleged victims reported they and their offender drank alcohol before the rape occurred — defined in survey as nonconsensual penetration by force.
The National Institute of Justice says most rapes go unreported.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story featuring Associated Press content has been updated with original reporting.
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