CLINTON, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Hamilton College is now looking into several cases of alleged use of the date-rape drug off campus over the last week. Some students gathered for a protest Friday don’t feel the administration is doing everything they can to stop this.
Hundred of students wearing black gathered in solidarity for the victims who were allegedly drugged by Ketamine. However, they were also hoping to share their concerns with the administration.
College president, David Wippman, joined the conversation–letting students know the administration is doing everything it can since finding out about the incidents last Sunday. They’ve sent emails to students and staff, opening an internal investigation and state police have also opened a criminal investigation.
“Any student that comes forward, their allegations are taken completely seriously, and that anything they say to us, not only will it be investigated, but it will also be treated confidentially,” said Francis Coots, Director of Campus Safety for Hamilton College.
And while campus police intend to hold the perpetrators accountable, some students feel there’s a much larger issue dealing with sexual assault at Hamilton.
“They’re putting the burden on us to look out for each other when we shouldn’t have to be scared of being raped, or being assaulted, or having anything, or being drugged or anything happening to us, and so it’s scary,” said Nandinisubra Maniam, who is on the board of SMART, the Sexual Misconduct and Assault Reform Taskforce.
A fear they said they will have to hold onto until police have answers.
“They say some vague stuff about they’re getting the police involved and they will get back to us, and they don’t get back to us,” Maniam said.
“Any victim that comes forward to us, we are not concerned about their age, we are concerned about what happened to them and that they’re the victim and we are here to protect them and give them the help they need,” Coots said.
If you’re a student at Hamilton and if you or someone you know may have been a victim of date-rape or consumption of the drug, do not hesitate to call campus safety at (315) 366-6000.
Police are also asking students to always use caution when drinking alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
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