“When people are telling you they have only had one drink, we are suspicious,” Ferguson said. “In some cases they hadn’t been drinking (alcohol) at all.”

Victims reported being sexually assaulted in hotels and parking lots, being left alone to walk down the street or being dropped off at home with no memory of the night before, Ferguson said.

But Ferguson said Lansing police don’t handle sexual assaults of this nature too often, and the string of cases reported at the end of last year was surprising.

“We are in the beginning of a trend and we want to flick out a warning,” Ferguson said. “Pay attention to where you’re at and where your drinks are.”

Holly Rosen, director of MSU Safe Place, said if victims have any suspicion that they may have been date-raped, they should immediately get a urine sample and take it to the police. Specialists can only detect the presence of drugs in your system within 12 hours after consumption, Rosen said.

The urine sample will provide evidence for the case if a victim decides to prosecute his or her assailant.

Rosen said although narcotic drugs often are used in date-rape situations, alcohol is the No. 1 date-rape drug.

She added that men often give women multiple drinks at social events with plans to isolate them and rape them at the end of the night.

“If you’re going to drink, do what you can to decrease the negative consequences of it,” Rosen said.

Victims of date-rape typically leave their drinks unattended at social events or accept drinks from strangers, Ferguson said.

Many of the most common date-rape drugs, including GHB, Rohypnol and Ketamine, are only available in areas such as Mexico and Europe.

Ferguson said it is possible that people could travel to these places to purchase the drugs and resell them in America.

“To a predator, this stuff is easily available,” Ferguson said. “Given the access to the Internet and other things, if you wanted (the drug) you could probably find it.”

MSU Safe Place often works with the MSU Sexual Assault Program to increase awareness on how women can protect themselves across campus.

Shari Murgittroyd, coordinator of the MSU Sexual Assault Program, said the organization served 272 clients last year who were victims of sexual assaults.

Murgittroyd said about 80 percent of those cases were date-rapes — the majority of which involved alcohol — and 20 percent of the cases involved rapes by strangers.

MSU Safe Place offers a 24-hour hotline, advocacy services and outreach programs for victims of sexual assaults.

Murgittroyd said many date-rape victims are reluctant to talk to others about their situation because they are blaming themselves for it.

“The number one thing that we tell our clients is that it was not their fault,” she said. “Nothing that they have done warrants or deserves them being raped.”

Sparrow Health System in Lansing also offers assistance to victims of date-rape.

Leann Holland, a sexual assault nurse examiner at Sparrow Health System, said she works with date-rape victims almost every day.

“The majority of (victims) never come forward,” Holland said.

Sparrow Health System provides patients with free and confidential services if they suspect they have been date-raped and would like to avoid contacting the police right away.

The initial effects of narcotic date-rape drugs are similar to the effects of alcohol. Ferguson said if students are experiencing those symptoms at a party and their friends aren’t around, they should call a cab or ask someone to call the police.