Social functions suspended as UBC investigates allegations of frat party druggings
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2019 23:05:07 +0000
The University of B.C. and campus RCMP have launched an investigation after social media reports alleging druggings at a frat party — and all social functions have been indefinitely suspended by the university’s Infraternity Council.
According to a statement from UBC’s vice-president of students, Ainsley Carry, university officials “received information via Twitter that UBC students may have been drugged at a fraternity party this past weekend.”
“The heath and safety of students is UBC’s top priority,” said Carry.
Carry said his staff had contacted UBC RCMP and that an investigation has been opened. As of Wednesday morning, UBC RCMP and campus security had not received any complaints of druggings last weekend, Carry said.
“The information shared online is being taken very seriously and will be fully investigated,” said Carry’s statement. Carry reminded students that intentionally drugging someone without their consent is a crime. “Our first priority at this stage is to encourage anyone who has experienced or has information about the criminal behaviours described to call the UBC RCMP.”
Discussions are also underway with the school’s Interfraternity Council, with plans to speak with individual fraternities in the coming days. In a Facebook post, the Infraternity Council said it takes any issue concerning safety seriously.
One of my students spent the weekend in the hospital after being drugged in a Vancouver bar on Friday night. On Saturday morning there were six (6!!) women with her who had been drugged in the fraternities on UBC campus.
And people ask me why I am opposed to the frat houses?
On Tuesday afternoon, economics professor Marina Adshade tweeted about one of her students who she said had spent the weekend in hospital after apparently being drugged in a Vancouver bar on Friday evening. Adshade then said on Saturday morning, the student was joined by six women who had been drugged in the fraternities on campus.
“The staff at the hospital told her it was very common and this issue out of UBC has been happening ‘all month’,” Adshade said in a followup tweet.
In an interview, Adshade says the student told her that she was out with other students at a bar in downtown Vancouver.
“About 10 minutes after arriving, she lost all memory of being there,” Adshade said.
The student was lucky she had friends who noticed something was wrong and took her to a hospital within the hour, she said.
Adshade said hospital staff told the student that tests showed a “cocktail” of drugs in her system and she spent two nights in care.
The student told her there were six other women in the hospital Saturday morning with symptoms consistent with drugging.
Adshade said at least one or two students each year, including both men and women, tell her they have been drugged.
Anyone with information about the allegations should contact UBC RCMP at 604-224-1322 or 911.
With files from Canadian Press.