Since late September, the University of Chicago has received seven reports of students suspecting they had drugs put in their drinks at parties off campus, leading the university to alert the campus community in a message Thursday.
On Tuesday, an undergraduate student told a member of the Campus Security Authority that they had likely been sexually assaulted on Oct. 28 in a residence hall. The victim suspected their drink had been spiked at a party they attended, according to the notice.
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The seven suspected incidents of students’ drinks being spiked with drugs occurred primarily off campus and there is no clear pattern, according to Jeremy Manier, a U. of C. spokesperson. No police reports were filed in any of the incidents, Manier said.
“Beyond the incident of likely sexual assault described in the alert, sexual assault was not reported in any of the other incidents,” Manier said in an email.
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Campus Security Authorities are officials with a legal obligation to inform the university of crimes that occur on university properties, pursuant to the federal Clery Act. CSAs include members of the university police department, college housing staff and athletic coaches. At the request of the victim, CSAs can omit identifying information, including names, initials and contact information, in the report.
In the community alert, the university encouraged students to report all incidents of misconduct.
The University of Chicago has sexual assault deans-on-call, a confidential resource available anytime for survivors of gender-based violence that students can access by calling the UCPD Dispatch or by texting in the UChicago Safe App. The administrator is trained in trauma-informed sexual assault crisis intervention, the program’s website states.
Students can also access the University Center for Awareness, Resolution, Education and Support, which aims to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, harassment and discrimination. UChicago Student Wellness provides confidential medical and mental health services.
To reduce student risk, the alert also encouraged students to drink from sealed beverages, avoid open containers or punch bowls and never leave a drink unattended.
“Victims of crimes are not responsible for offenses committed against them,” the alert stated. “We want to help members of our community reduce their risk whenever possible, and to look out for others.”
