A UW graduate used her college years to find her voice

Editor’s note: This story contains references to sexual assault.

Two years ago, as a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Samantha Sorenson worked with classmates in a psychology course to design and distribute flyers about sexual violence and the resources available to survivors.

The flyers also served to raise money for a Dane County nonprofit focused on advocating for people harmed by sexual violence. Through the effort, Sorenson and her classmates donated nearly $1,000.

For Sorenson, who’s graduating from UW–Madison this month, the effort was deeply personal. As a freshman, just a couple of weeks after arriving in Madison, Sorenson experienced a sexual assault. The incident and its aftermath nearly derailed her college career, she says. But with the support of many, including the staff at University Health Services (UHS) Survivor Services, Sorenson says she was able to process what happened and piece her life back together.

When she graduates, Sorenson says the walk across the Kohl Center stage will signify both a personal victory and a collective one. She used her time on campus to become an advocate for others who have had similar experiences.

“There was a point where I thought I was going to have to give up my goal of a UW degree,” says Sorenson, who grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “But I’ve been able to reclaim Madison as my college town — a place that I love instead of a place I’m afraid of. That’s why this commencement ceremony is so meaningful to me and why it’s so important to me that I tell my story.”

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Classes had just begun in fall 2021 when Sorenson and some of her friends went to a bar near campus. The assault happened, Sorenson says, when she accepted a ride from a man who offered to take her back to her residence hall at the end of the evening.

Sorenson credits the “U Got This!” online violence prevention course with helping her know what to do next. The course, managed by UHS Violence Prevention, is required for all incoming students.

Immediately after the incident, Sorenson, accompanied by her friends, went to a local emergency room. There, she accessed medical care and reported her experience to law enforcement. The Madison Police Department spent months investigating the case. Ultimately, the Dane County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges.

Molly Caradonna, director of UHS Survivor Services, says that while the role of the justice system is important, legal outcomes do not always accurately represent the reality of sexual violence.

“Almost two-thirds of sexual assaults are never reported,” Caradonna says. “And when survivors choose to report — which is a very personal decision — less than 10% secure a felony conviction.”

Sorenson says she initially considered abandoning her UW aspirations and continuing her education back home. Some people had encouraged this approach, telling her it would be easier.

“But I knew it would not be easier,” Sorenson says. “I knew I would grow to resent that decision. UW had always been my dream school. Why should I let someone take that from me?”

Sorenson attended individual and group therapy sessions through UHS Survivor Services for more than a year. She also took part in campus events related to the issue of sexual violence, choosing to share her story with others.

“Deciding what support to receive, whether to report, and who to share their story with are all very personal decisions for students impacted by sexual violence,” Caradonna says. “There is no right way to be a survivor — and in fact, the word ‘survivor’ doesn’t land for all students. What is important is that we believe, empower, and uplift the voices of the survivors that do share their stories with our community and follow their lead about the care they’ve determined is right for them and their healing process.”

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The incident shifted Sorenson’s passions and priorities. She initially intended to pursue a pre-medicine path but switched to psychology with a certificate in criminal justice. She focused her academic work on issues around sexual violence, researching how sexual violence affects students on campus and what trauma-informed care should look like for police departments. She is currently completing an internship with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and she is planning to pursue a career in victim advocacy.

“After what happened to me, I was immediately met with intense support and understanding by all faculty and staff members,” Sorenson says. “They contributed to helping me rebuild myself and continue my academic journey. I now see that sexual violence is a silent epidemic and we must talk about it. I am not afraid to use my voice. It is never the fault of the victim, and the injustices that many survivors endure must be resolved.”

Sorenson also is tremendously grateful to her family members, especially her mom. “She spent a lot of time contacting the police department when I was not mentally up to dealing with all of the questions.”

Sorenson says her journey was far from easy but that she is now on a path of healing and hope.

“There were times during my first couple of years at UW where I would drive back to Madison from Iowa and have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach,” she says. “Now, I’m excited again about Madison. It’s a place I’m going to come back to and show my kids and be able to say, proudly, ‘This is where I went to school.’”

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UHS Survivor Services provides free, confidential support services to UW–Madison student survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and/or stalking. For a comprehensive guide to rights and resources for survivors of sexual and relationship violence, access the UW–Madison Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Guide. To directly support UW–Madison students impacted by sexual violence, please consider donating to the Survivor Empowerment Fund. This fund provides student survivors with monies for crisis-related legal, medical, dental, and housing/relocation costs.