Northwestern University is investigating anonymous reports of alleged sexual assaults at two fraternity houses in the last few weeks, according to the Chicago Tribune. And the school has taken a stronger approach than most, alerting students to possible danger on Monday even without much information about the alleged crimes.
Administrators were told that as many as four female students were given a date rape drug on Jan. 21 at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house. Two of these women believe they were sexually assaulted, The Daily Northwestern reports. This allegation was made last Thursday, and another anonymous report of sexual assault and a possible date-rape drug at another fraternity house at Northwestern was made the next day. Neither of the reports were made by the alleged victims, so the school doesn’t know which students may have been affected by this.
The Sexual Harassment Prevention Office is investigating the reports, according to The Daily Northwestern.
The university is taking a proactive approach that shows how seriously it takes sexual assault allegations. “Northwestern University condemns any such conduct in the strongest possible terms and expeditiously is investigating these charges,” Patricia Telles-Irvin, Northwestern University’s vice president for student affairs, told the Chicago Tribune. “They go against Northwestern values and constitute grossly unacceptable behavior. The university is fully prepared to take appropriate action promptly.”
Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s national organization is also not taking this lightly. “Any form of assault or sexual misconduct by anyone, brother or not, college man or not, is completely unacceptable, and we do not tolerate actions that are inconsistent with our mission,” SAE’s national spokesman Brandon Weghorst told CNN. Northwestern’s chapter of SAE has promised to cooperate with the investigation.
Meanwhile, Northwestern’s Associated Student Government executive board posted a statement on Facebook saying they are “appalled and outraged” by the reports. They called for the two reported fraternities to be suspended pending an investigation, and said any students found responsible for assault should be expelled.
“ASG will not let this situation—and all cases of sexual assault at Northwestern—be glossed over, excused, or gradually forgotten,” they wrote. “We believe in and unequivocally support survivors of sexual assault, and will fight continually to create a rape-free campus environment.”