CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington University (EWU) is alerting students, staff and faculty after reports two students were given date rape drugs while at off-campus parties.
The university sent an alert email Monday afternoon after the reports were made to EWU campus police about the incidents, which Chief Jay Day says happened over the first weekend after classes began.
Chief Day says, to his knowledge and what was reported to the department, these were just close calls: the students were not assaulted, but did exhibit symptoms of being "roofied."
The two separate incidents at two separate locations prompted the warning to the campus community.
“It’s very concerning for us just because of the volume of students out on the weekends,” Chief Day said.
The university's email said the reported druggings happened at sorority/fraternity houses, though on Wednesday Chief Day said the department was working to confirm that preliminary information.
The "open campus" and the fact these incidents happened at events off EWU's property make it more difficult to know if any potential suspects were members of EWU's community, Day said.
Freshman Briana Martinez was left shocked when she got the notification Monday because she'd considered going to a party to celebrate her first week of classes.
“Kind of makes me feel like, ‘Wow what would’ve happened if I did go to those?’" she questioned. "So definitely scary.”
EWU offered resources for anyone impacted and offered advice for the students to protect themselves, including not to accept open drinks, avoiding punch bowls where anyone could have access, and not leaving drinks unattended.
“You haven’t seen it from it being poured to you taking it to ingest it, maybe don’t drink it," Chief Day said. "If you didn’t pop it, don’t drink it.”
He adds, students should be empowered to speak up when something is suspicious.
“Be a good friend, a good teammate. Keep eyes on each other," he said.
Chief Day says it does sound like, in these instances, the reporting students had a good set of friends who noticed something was wrong, got their friends to safety, then helped them report it.
Reporting and getting tested if you suspect you've been given a date rape drug or other unknown substance, Day said, can go a long way in helping police; not only is the report kept on file and may help connect similar incidents, the evidence can be retained if a urine test is done quickly.
“When our students have things happen to them we make every effort to put the power back in their hands," Day said. “If they make a decision they don’t want to pursue charges, don’t want to have an investigation, what have you, we support you 100%. It’s on the record if you ever change your mind. Here’s our number, here’s where we are if you change your mind, come and talk to us. We’ll walk down that road with you hand in hand to make sure you get the help you need.”
For Martinez, it's a first college lesson on caution if she does ever end up going out.
“I don’t know," she mused. "I definitely think about not going because of that incident.”