The Department of Campus Safety (DCS) and the Denver Police Department (DPD) have received three recent reports of women suspecting they have consumed date rape drugs at bars and restaurants near DU according to DCS Crime Prevention Sgt. Stephen Banet.

Two reports were filed simultaneously with DCS by two DU students on Sunday, May 12. The third was a letter sent to DPD by another party. DCS sent an email crime alert notification to students about the reports last Thursday.

The letter sent to DPD specifies that the victim reported the suspected drugging took place on the 2700 block of South University Boulevard, where she had visited several businesses. There was no evidence of sexual assault.

The women who filed reports with DCS also reported visiting several businesses in the DU area and both also reported no suspicions of sexual assault.

“It’s kind of convoluted,” said Banet. “They were at several locations in the evening. There is no concrete evidence to say what happened here or there.”

Banet said one suspect who filed a report with DCS reported waking up in a university building she has no access to without memory of what happened the previous night. The other reported lapses in memory from the night before, after the students had become separated.

However, Banet said it would be difficult to reach a conclusion about what happened given the nature of date rape drugs.

“They are fast-acting but are out of the system quickly,” said Banet. “That is why it’s difficult to tell if someone has been victimized.”

Banet said DCS offered the two victims counseling with the Health and Counseling Center (HCC).

“We don’t have a lot we can do, but we have offered support services,” said Banet. “They just wanted, more or less, for us to know that this happened.”

The crime alert notification sent by DCS offers students ways to protect themselves from date rape drugs. The email advises students to “never accept a drink from someone you don’t know and trust,” “don’t leave a drink unattended and order a fresh drink if you do,” “party with friends,” and to “call 9-1-1 if you begin to feel faint.”