As thousands of Kansas University students are back for the fall semester, the temptation to drink and engage in risky behavior is a given. But a local agency is urging students to take precautions to avoid a dangerous situation.

“We kind of have recently been calling alcohol around here the other date rape drug,” said Pam Lawrence, GaDuGi Safe Center’s adult and child services coordinator.

GaDuGi is a Lawrence agency that’s devoted to providing around-the-clock services for victims of sexual violence.

Lawrence said a majority of GaDuGi’s clients are college students and most of them know their attackers.

According to police, a female KU student was at the Delta Chi fraternity house, 1245 West Campus Road, on Saturday night and fell asleep in one of its rooms. Authorities said she was then sexually assaulted by an acquaintance. She returned to her residence hall room and called the police.

An 18-year-old suspect was arrested Sunday and made his first appearance in court Monday. He told the judge he was a student and had just moved to Lawrence a week earlier. His bond was set at $35,000.

While the Douglas County District Attorney’s office continues its investigation into the alleged rape, the national chapter of Delta Chi is conducting its own investigation.

A spokesman for the Iowa-based national chapter of Delta Chi spoke out about the allegations. Assistant Executive Director Karl Grindel issued a statement Tuesday.

“The fraternity, in partnership with the university and local authorities, will conduct a thorough investigation in accordance with its due process established in its constitution, by-laws and regulations, and appropriate actions will be taken as a result of that investigation,” the statement read.

Grindel did not identify the rape suspect as a member of the fraternity, but said, “Delta Chi does not condone nor tolerate activities inconsistent with the values of strong moral character, leadership, educational excellence, and civil responsibility.”

It’s unclear whether alcohol played a part in the alleged incident, but the GaDuGi coordinator said alcohol generally plays a significant role in sexual assaults.

“When you’re under the influence, you don’t make the best decisions on either part; you’re more vulnerable, weaker and that’s when they take advantage of the situation,” Lawrence said.

She encourages women to not only drink in moderation but also utilize the buddy system and keep tabs on their friends in social situations.

“Whoever you arrive with, make sure you leave with them,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence admitted that anyone can follow these tips and still become the victim of a sexual assault. In that case, she suggests to get to a safe place and consider calling police and seeking help from an agency such as GaDuGi or The Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center at KU, which offers similar services for sexual assault victims.