Police say they've turned up no reports of sexual violence from Western University frosh weekend
CBC
London police say an investigation into allegations of multiple sexual assaults at a Western University residence over the Sept. 13 weekend has led to "no formal reports" of students being drugged an assaulted.
In a news release issued Friday, police say they've spoken to residence staff and distributed information for students seeking help reporting an assault. Police say these efforts were done with the help of student residence assistance and that through this partnership, police have made "direct contact" with more than 600 students.
"To date, the London Police Service has received no formal reports of a Medway-Sydenham Hall resident being drugged and sexually assaulted and therefore, we have been unable to substantiate information circulated in social media posts about widespread incidents of that nature," the police statement says.
The statement says police understand that "individuals experience inflicted trauma in ways that are unique to them alone, and that there is no 'standard' response on the part of victims and survivors to sexual violence" and that survivors of sexual assault are not obligated to participate in an investigation.
The statement says the investigation into allegations of sexual violence at Medway-Sydenham Hall "remains open" and that police will continue to gather information.
Social media posts alleging that multiple students were drugged and assaulted began surfacing online after frosh week, when new students often take part in parties and other social events as they become familiar with campus.
Some social media posts said that up to 30 young women were drugged and sexually assaulted at Medway-Sydenham Hall, which is a residence for first-year students.
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