Chi Omega sorority member works to provide predatory drug testing kits

Chi Omega sorority member Lindsay Toler has been working on the project for about a year.

By Shanté Fenique King

Published Sept. 18, 2008

A Chi Omega sorority member is pushing to make predatory drug testing kits available in fraternity houses.

"It's been a one-woman show for a long time," senior Lindsay Toler said of her pursuit.

It all began with Toler's work as a hospital advocate at The Shelter, a place that provides assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. As the risk manager at her chapter, she wanted to bring the lack of predatory drug kits in fraternity houses to her chapter's attention and possibly do something about it.

Toler said she has been working on the project for about a year.

"Once I began telling people about it, they were thrilled to get on board," she said.

The kits use a urine sample to test for many common predatory drugs, which are often known as date rape drugs. Since many predatory drugs cannot be detected after the first time a victim urinates, quick access to the kits is crucial.

Last December, Toler got together with Student Health Center health educator Kim Webb to educate sororities, with an invitation to fraternities, about the use of predatory drug testing kits.

After that, Toler said, the Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council began working with Webb to place the kits in all 28 fraternity houses.

The Student Health Center will provide the kits, but Toler still lacked storage bins to hold the kits.

When Phyllis Williams, chairwoman of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Missouri Students Association, heard about their problem, she told Toler that she would help her get bins.

In Toler's first meeting with Panhellenic's risk manager, she was struck by their lack of knowledge.

Toler said she felt that as risk manager, it was her duty to educate all Greek organizations about predatory drug kits.

"This is an epidemic, and women are not the only victims," she said. "More education could lead to more prevention."

Toler said she doesn't see this project as calling out fraternity members.

"This isn't saying fraternity houses are bad," she said. "These guys are more than members of a fraternity. They're boyfriends, brothers, sons and so much more. Just because you're a man doesn't mean you won't be a victim of date rape drugs."

Williams authored an MSA Senate bill to request $250 from the MSA contingency and reserve fund to pay for the bins, though she said she anticipates the actual cost to be around $180. Any leftover money from the purchase will go back to the contingency and reserve account.

For the future, Toler said she would like to see residence hall staff members trained to use predatory drug testing kits.