Police have so far turned up no reports of sexual violence from Western University frosh weekend - Action News
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London

Police have so far turned up no reports of sexual violence from Western University frosh weekend

London police say an investigation into allegations of multiple sexual assaults at a Western University residence over the Sept. 13 weekend has so far led to "no formal reports" of students being drugged and assaulted, but they'll continue to gather information.

London police say investigation into allegations of Medway-Sydenham Hall assaults 'remains open'

Western University in London, Ont., is investigating multiple reports of sexual violence that are alleged to have happened at this student residence at the end of orientation week last month. (Kate Dubinski/CBC News)

London police say an investigation into allegations of multiple sexual assaults at a Western University residence over the Sept. 13 weekend has so far led to "no formal reports" of students being drugged and assaulted, but they'll continue to gather information.

In a news release issued Friday, police say they've spoken to residence staff and distributed information for students seeking helpreporting 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 atMedway-Sydenham Hall "remains open" and that police will continue to gather information.

Thousands of students on Sept. 17 staged a walkout at Western University in support of survivors of sexual violence. (Kate Dubinski/CBC News)

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.

Shortly after the posts about the assaults surfaced thousands of Western University students walked out of class on Friday to protest misogyny and rape culture, andsupport survivors of sexual violence on campus.

The school alsoformed a task forceon student safety and sexual violence, and upped security measures.

Anyone who wants to provide information about a sexual assault is asked to contact the London Police Service at 519-661-5670. Western University students may also make a report to the Western Special Constable Service at 519-661-3300, ext. 8330.