Two weeks ago, Health Services received information of what is believed to be two separate date rape drug incidents. One of these incidents was officially reported to Health Services, while the other incident was not reported at all.

Currently, Public Safety (PSafe) is not conducting investigations of either incident due to a lack of information and each of the students’ wishes to remain anonymous.

The case that was reported to Health Services occurred at a larger off-campus gathering of University students. The student who reported symptoms of being drugged told Health Services that most of the party attendees were friends and that bartenders were serving at the event.

“It was a student activity and there were appropriate servers,” said Director of University Health Center Joyce Walter. “This situation was clearly not an overuse of alcohol.”

The student had consumed three beers over the course of the evening, an amount that was not an unusual quantity for the student. When the student started feeling symptoms of having ingested date rape drugs, such as not remembering parts of the night and feeling dizzy and being less aware, friends removed the student from the party.

While no tests were conducted to confirm the consumption of drugs, Walter said that the student’s symptoms were consistent with the effects of common date rape drugs, such as GHB and Rohypnol. Additionally, Walter noted that such symptoms could not have resulted from the amount of alcohol the student had consumed.

“[The student] was violently ill and couldn’t recall parts of the evening,” Walter said. “We know that something unusual went down.”

The second case, which was not officially reported to either Health Services or PSafe, occurred at a bar in Middletown during the same weekend. As with the other incident, the student was able to leave safely. No other details about this situation are known.

Director of Public Safety Dave Meyer said that witnesses’ accounts, along with a date rape drug test, could serve as corroborating evidence in an investigation about date rape drugs. However, due to the lack of information in both cases, as well as both students’ desire to keep their experiences private, PSafe is unable to conduct investigations into either incident.

“There is no way to follow up,” Meyer said. “There is just not enough information.”

While survivors often do not realize they have been drugged within the 48 hours it takes most date rape drugs to exit the system, students who believe they have been drugged are encouraged to report their symptoms to PSafe and Health Services.

Health Services used the recent incidents to remind the student body about safety at parties and the campus resources available to sexual assault survivors. They sent out two consecutive e-mails to the student body: the first listing steps to avoid being drugged as well as steps to take if one is drugged, and the second providing contacts for those seeking sexual violence resources.

“We wanted to encourage general prevention efforts,” Walter said.

The first e-mail reminded students to only accept beverages from a trusted person or professional bartender, to not leave a drink unattended and to report any incidents in which they notice someone spiking a drink. In the case that students believe they have been drugged, the e-mail encourages them to call PSafe, contact Health Services to get tested for date rape drugs, and submit the cup from which they were drinking for testing.

“It is important to know your alcohol limits so that you are able to recognize what sensations feel normal,” Walter said.

She explained that many symptoms of date rape drug consumption, such as memory loss and decreased awareness, might also result from consuming too much alcohol.

Sexual violence resources on campus are currently being modified, as the University will be revising its sexual violence policy and creating a website that consolidates all available resources in one location.

The second e-mail explained that sexual assault survivors can receive confidential help at the Health Services Office and the Women and Families Center.

“We wanted to make the community aware of what occurred,” Meyer said. “[The e-mail] was a good reminder to students in a preventative way.”