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Sexual assaults involving strangers, weapons
Milwaukee County prosecutors charged two men this week with either sexually assaulting or attempting to sexually assault a stranger at gunpoint.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County prosecutors charged two men this week with either sexually assaulting or attempting to sexually assault a stranger at gunpoint. Those circumstances, while not uncommon, are rare.
Criminal charges
The backstory:
Prosecutors said 34-year-old Tedrick Boone raped and robbed a Marquette University student near 14th and Kilbourn. Police got a DNA match and arrested him.
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"This is stranger sexual assault in which a young college student was walking home late at night on Marquette's campus. He began to follow her, he forced her into an alleyway at gunpoint," said Alicia Kort, Milwakee County assistant district attorney.
Milwaukee County Courthouse
"All they’re thinking is, ‘I’ve been snatched, and held at gunpoint, and if I don’t submit, I will die,’" Court Commissioner Barry Phillips said. "If true, what this person went through was a nightmare, forced to do unimaginable things against her will."
Sincere Blake, 26, is accused of threatening a contractor at gunpoint, going into a home near Terrace and Ivanhoe last week, threatening the homeowner and then trying to sexually assault someone else in the home. Court filings said he later told investigators he took ecstasy that morning and wasn't sure why he behaved the way he did.
Stranger sexual assaults
By the numbers:
According to the Department of Justice, in 2024, a national survey found a little more than 20% of sexual assaults involved strangers. Fewer than 5% involved a weapon.
"The fact that this is unusual doesn’t mean what happened shouldn’t be taken just as seriously," said Jennifer Simmons Kaleba, RAINN vice president of communications.
What they're saying:
RAINN, a anti-sexual violence organization, said the biggest thing is to believe victims.
"For every case that you hear about of a sexual assault being reported, there’s roughly four others that go unreported," said Simmons Kaleba. "When we’re talking about the numbers of this problem, we’re talking about the floor – not the ceiling."
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"Most women will tell you they’re afraid for their safety when they’re out in the world, and when these stranger assaults happen, it just reinforces that fear," said Carmen Pitre, Sojourner Family Peace Center CEO and president.
Pitre said it's important for survivors to know it's not their fault, prioritize safety, seek medical help and call police.
"What I get afraid of is, for survivors, this makes the world even less safe," she said.
Pitre also said that can make the world feel smaller for women in particular, but it's important to seek help and heal in order to feel free again.
Resources for victims
What you can do:
Below are some of the sexual assault resources available to victims:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call: 800-656-HOPE
Text: "HOPE" to 64673
Aurora healing & advocacy services
Call hotline: 414-219-5555
Aurora Healing Center
Address: 1020 N. 12th Street, 2nd Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Call: 414-219-5359
Aurora Healing Center at Aurora Sinai Medical Center
Address: 945 N. 12th St., Milwaukee, WI 53233
Call: 414-219-5938
Aurora Healing Center at Sojourner Family Peace Center
Address: 619 W. Walnut St., Milwaukee, WI 53212
Call: 414-810-1498
Aurora Healing Center at Aurora West Allis Medical Center
Address: 8901 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis, WI 53227
Call: 414-219-5938
The Source: FOX6 News referenced prior coverage of the Boone and Blake cases, including information from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court. Additional information is from the DOJ and interviews with Simmons Kaleba and Pitre.