The University of British Columbia (UBC) said it has asked University RCMP to open an investigation into a report of multiple druggings at fraternities over the weekend.
The move comes after a UBC professor posted to Twitter on Tuesday, saying one of her students had met six women in hospital who reported being drugged on campus in the fraternity village.
Economics professor Marina Adshade tweeted that one of her students told her she’d been drugged in a Vancouver bar, and that when she attended hospital she’d met the other alleged victims.
According to the university, which said it first learned of the allegations on Twitter, Campus Security and University RCMP have not received any reports of the alleged druggings.
UBC RCMP confirmed it was investigating, but said it had no further comment at this point. Vancouver police confirmed no report of this nature had been received.
Providence Healthcare said no drugging cases had presented to St. Paul’s Hospital over the weekend. Vancouver Coastal Health said it was not able to verify any cases after checking with its emergency rooms.
“The information shared online is being taken very seriously and will be fully investigated,” UBC vice-president of students Ainsley Carry said in a statement.
“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 at 604-224-1322, or 911, to report the incident.”
Carry said UBC staff had also met with UBC’s Interfraternity Council, and would be speaking with the frats “at length” in the coming days.
UBC’s Interfratnerity Council bylaws were changed in January to require fraternity brothers to attend yearly workshops on sexual consent and bystander intervention training.
The Interfraternity Council issued a statement saying it had suspended all social functions indefinitely, and that it had been in contact with the university regarding the matter.
“We take any issues concerning the safety of the UBC community and the community at large very seriously,” said the IFC in a statement.
“The IFC is working closely with the pertinent groups, and we encourage anyone that has information on this matter to immediately report it to the University Detachment of the RCMP.”
“We are doing everything we can to find out more,” said Carry, who also provided links to on-campus crisis supports and information about drugs and their effects.
The UBC Alma Matter Society said it considers the report a “very serious matter,” and that it has been in touch with the relevant groups on behalf of the student body.
“We want to ensure the safety and well-being of the students affected, which is why the resources at the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre are available to any student who wishes to access it,” said AMS president Chris Hakim in a statement.
“We hope that this matter is approached with a trauma-informed mindset and respectful of the privacy of those involved.”