You are at a party, a club, or a social event.
You are with people you know, people you believe you have no reason to fear.
Someone secretly drops a drug in your drink. When the drug dissolves, it is
colorless and odorless. It may also be tasteless. You cannot tell that you are
being drugged. As you consume the drink, the drug takes effect. You are now in
a weakened, helpless, or unconscious state. You cannot escape, resist, or even
call out for help. You are sexually assaulted. When the drug wears off, you may
not remember what was done to you, who did it, or whether anyone watched.
This is a typical example of a
"drug-facilitated sexual assault." Being this kind of news is so
common in nowadays, I thought of discussing what Drug-Facilitated Sexual
Assault (DFSA) is. The scope of this article would be what you’ll feel (if you
were to), what to do & how to protect yourself.
Certain drugs, such as Rohypnol and GHB, have
been called "rape drugs" because they can be used as weapons in
sexual assault cases. The drugs are usually slipped into a person's drink
without that person's knowledge or consent. When the drugs dissolve in the
drink, they are colorless, odorless, and sometimes tasteless. You cannot tell
that you are being drugged. Other substances -- prescription drugs,
over-the-counter medications, illegal drugs, recreational drugs, and "club
drugs" -- can be used for the same purpose.
The drugs incapacitate you. They may make you
feel drowsy, confused, physically weak, and/or unconscious. Some of the drugs
can also have other serious side effects, such as causing your blood pressure
to drop, breathing problems, or coma; they can even cause death.
The drugs may also affect your memory. When
the drugs wear off, you may not be able to recall what happened to you.
The drugs are especially dangerous when they
are mixed with alcohol and/or other drugs.
Some rapists use these drugs to overpower and
incapacitate their victims and to facilitate a sexual assault. These crimes are
called "drug-facilitated sexual assaults."
Rohypnol & GHB are commonly used drugs.
Rohypnol
What Rohypnol looks like
Rohypnol is most commonly found in tablet
form. It may be a small, round, white pill. When slipped into a drink, the pill
dissolves and becomes invisible. Or, it may be oval-shaped and green-gray in
color. These pills may have a dye in them that can make them more visible in
certain drinks. But, you may not be able to see the color in a dark drink (coke
or dark beer) or in a dark room.
Rohypnol is usually smuggled into this
country in its original packaging; foil backed, clear plastic "bubble
packs." The pills may be ground up or crushed into a powder. Rohypnol can
also be found in liquid form.
How Rohypnol is abused
People "dose" other people without
their knowledge by dropping whole or crushed Rohypnol tablets into their
drinks. When Rohypnol is dissolved in a drink, you usually can't see it, smell
it, or taste it. Therefore, if you are "dosed," you probably won't
know that you're being drugged. Soft drinks, punch, beer, or other alcoholic
beverages can all provide the disguise.
GHB
What GHB looks like
GHB is usually a clear liquid that is
colorless and odorless. It is also produced as a white crystalline powder, and
in a tablet/capsule form.
How GHB is abused
GHB is usually doled out by capfuls,
teaspoons, drops, or "swigs." It may be sold or passed around in
containers of varying sizes, including sports bottles, designer water bottles,
eye dropper bottles, and gel caps. Or, it may be offered as a clear liquid in a
small paper cup.
The clear liquid GHB is easily dropped or
squirted into a drink. When hidden in a drink, it is colorless and odorless.
However, it may have a slightly salty taste. Sometimes people who lace drinks
with GHB attempt to mask the salty taste by mixing it with a sweet liqueur or
fruit juice, or they may try to explain the salty taste by calling it a special
"health" or "energy drink."
Signs You May Have Been Drugged
1.
Feeling
a lot more intoxicated than your usual response to the amount of alcohol you
consumed
2.
Waking
up very hung over, feeling "fuzzy," experiencing memory lapse, and
being unable to account for a period of time
3.
Remembering
taking a drink but being unable to recall what happened for a period of time
after you consumed the drink
4.
Drowsiness ,Dizziness ,Loss of muscle control ,Slurred
speech ,Decreased inhibitions ,Memory loss or impairment ,Loss of consciousness
,Vomiting
5.
Feeling
as though someone had sex with you, but being unable remember any or all of the
incident
Not everyone is affected the same way. It is
difficult to predict the exact effects of any drug on a particular individual.
The effects may vary depending upon the drug, the dose you ingest, and whether
the drug is mixed with alcohol or other drugs. Other factors that influence how
a particular drug will affect you are your weight, gender, metabolism, and
other issues, such as how soon you receive medical assistance. There is one
thing you can be sure of - the danger of serious and harmful effects is greatly
increased when drugs like Rohypnol, GHB, Ecstasy, and Ketamine are ingested in
combination with alcohol or other drugs.
What to Do
What to do if you think you may have been
drugged
Get
to a safe place.
Get
help immediately.
Ask
a trusted friend to stay with you and assist you in getting the services you need.
Call the police.
Get
medical care immediately. Go to a hospital emergency department as soon as
possible for an examination and evidence collection. Most "rape drugs" are metabolized very quickly by the body.
The sooner you receive medical care, the more likely it is that evidence can be
found that will help you identify any substances used to drug you.
Ask
the hospital or clinic where you receive medical care to take a urine sample
for drug toxicology testing by your law enforcement agency's crime lab. Drugs
such as Rohypnol and GHB are more likely to be found in urine than in blood.
Special tests must be conducted to detect these drugs. Most hospitals cannot
conduct these tests at the levels necessary to completely assess if you were
actually drugged.
If
you think you may have been sexually assaulted, you should have a specialized
sexual assault examination. Preserve all physical evidence of the assault.
Do
not shower, bathe, douche, eat, drink, wash your hands, or brush your teeth
before you have a medical evaluation. Save the clothing you were wearing at the
time of the assault.
Do not disturb anything in the area where the assault
occurred. Save any other materials that might contain evidence of the drug(s)
you may have been given, such as the glass that held your drink.
Watching Out for Yourself & Your Friends
Protect Yourself
Don't accept drinks from people you don't know.
Don't drink beverages that you did not open yourself.
Don't share or exchange drinks with anyone.
Don't take a drink from a punch bowl or a container that is being passed
around.
If
possible, bring your own drinks to parties.
If
someone offers you a drink from the bar at a club or party, accompany the
person to the bar to order your drink, watch the drink being poured, and carry
the drink yourself.
Don't leave your drink unattended while talking, dancing, using the
restroom, or making a phone call.
If
you realize your drink has been left unattended, discard it.
Don't drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance (e.g.,
salty taste, excessive foam, unexplained residue).
DON'T MIX DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Watch out for your friends
Know the danger signs and take action -- if someone seems very drunk,
gets sick after drinking a beverage, is having trouble breathing, passes out
and can't be awakened, or is behaving in some other unusual way, the person may
be in danger. Get medical attention immediately. Call for emergency medical
help. Do not assume the person just needs to "sleep it off." She or
he could die.
If
you see or hear that someone is "dosing" a drink or a punch bowl, do
something. Warn other people at the party, throw the drink away, get help from
friends, and if anyone seems "drugged," help her or him get medical
care.
Warn friends about high-risk situations or places such as clubs or
parties where "dosing" is known to have happened. Avoiding would be
the BEST.
Go
to clubs or parties with friends you trust and agree to look out for one
another. Appoint a "designated sober person," one friend who won't
drink and who will regularly check up on the others in your group. Leave
parties with people you know. Don't leave alone or with someone you don't know
very well.
Against the Law
Drugging another person without their
knowledge or consent is a crime.
Having sex with someone who cannot give
consent because of the mental or physical effects of alcohol or drugs can be
rape.
Having sex with someone who cannot resist or
say "no" because the person is drugged, drunk, "too out of
it," passed out, unconscious, or asleep can be rape.
Some facts.....
·
Anyone
can be a victim of DFSA regardless of age, sexual orientation or gender, though
females ages 16 to 24 are the highest at risk.
·
A
person does not necessarily have to be drugged by a “Date Rape” drug to become
a victim of DFSA. In fact, the most common drug involved is alcohol, seconded
by marijuana.
·
The
perpetrator is not necessarily the one who administers the drug. The victim
often voluntarily takes the drug or alcohol, but is assaulted upon becoming
incapacitated.
·
Approximately
75% of sexual assaults are committed by people known to the victim.
·
The
ONLY person responsible for a sexual assault is the person who commits it.
Being intoxicated by alcohol or drugs is NEVER an invitation for sex.
·
Most
sexual assault cases are never reported to Police. Victims may be embarrassed,
have a perceived sense of guilt, or because they cannot remember what specifically
happened.
(Please note that there are lot of drugs that can be used & may give different symptoms)
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