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In the late 1980s, I had a summer job at a sexual assault crisis center. One of my duties was to enter files of sexual assault victims into a database. While I remember some women saying they were drunk at the time their assault occurred (and indeed, alcohol continues to be a date rape "drug," with some statistics saying that 50% of women raped by acquaintances reported being drunk at the time), none reported having been drugged. But since the late 1990s, things have changed:
Stories similar to the above excerpts are seen regularly in the media in communities in the United States, Canada, and abroad. Of course, despite the use of the term "date rape drug," rape is not always the (only) result of ingesting the substance – it may be hospitalization or death. In the United States, as cited above, some estimates place cases of Rohypnol-induced sexual assault alone at 5,000 for the year 2003. However, numbers are difficult to establish for many reasons, including: a lack of reporting mechanisms; because these drugs impair memory; because the drugs may no longer be in a victim's system once an assault is reported; and because sexual assaults are generally underreported (it is estimated that two to six times more rapes occur than are actually reported). In Canada, according to a study published in the November/December 2004 issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health, not only have drug-facilitated sexual assaults increased in the past decade, but more than one in four hospital-reported sexual assaults were drug-facilitated. Overall, in both the United States and Canada, incidents are concentrated among high school, college, and university students. The Usual SuspectsThe two main date rape drugs are Rohypnol and GHB, but ketamine is also sometimes used. • Rohypnol,
or flunitrazepam (also known as roofies, forget-me
pill, Mexican valium, mind erasers, etc.) –
This is a benzodiazepine (central nervous system
depressant) like Valium, but 10 times more potent.
Rohypnol is a tasteless and odorless drug that comes
in pill form and can be dissolved in liquid. It is
widely available in Europe, Mexico, and Colombia,
but is neither manufactured nor approved for sale
in the United States or in Canada. Illicit use of
Rohypnol began in the 1970s in Europe and appeared
in the United States in the early 1990s. Much of
the concern surrounding Rohypnol is its abuse as
a date rape drug, for as the National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains:
"Rohypnol can incapacitate victims and prevent them
from resisting sexual assault. It can produce 'anterograde
amnesia,' which means individuals may not remember
events they experienced while under the effects of
the drug. Also, Rohypnol may be lethal when mixed
with alcohol and/or other depressants."
• GHB,
or gamma hydroxybutyrate (also known as liquid ecstasy,
liquid X, soap, Grievous Bodily Harm, easy lay, etc.)
– This is a central nervous system depressant,
and according to NIDA, it was widely available in
the US in health food stores during the 1980s, but
non-prescription sales were banned in 1990. The drug
takes effect within about 15 minutes of ingestion
and, depending on dose, can last several hours. Aside
from decreasing inhibitions and causing drowsiness,
it can cause nausea, numbness, convulsions, and respiratory
arrest. This drug comes as a liquid, pill, or powder,
and has a salty or soapy taste, but fruity or flavored
drinks or alcohol can mask the taste.
• Ketamine,
or ketamine hydrochloride (also known as special
K, K, kit-kat, etc.) – This drug was derived
from phencyclidine (PCP) in the 1960s for use as
a dissociative anesthetic, and causes anesthesia
without respiratory depression. It is a white powder,
and is often used as an animal tranquilizer. The
effects of this drug appear rapidly, and include
a dissociative state leading to floating/out-of-body
experiences and hallucinations. According to an article
by Dr. Paul M. Gahlinger, on the American
Academy of Family Physicians' website, other
common effects include: "… confusion, anterograde
amnesia, and delirium. They also may experience tachycardia,
palpitations, hypertension, and respiratory depression
with apnea. 'Flashbacks' or visual disturbances can
be experienced days or weeks after ingestion." Other substances implicated in unwanted sexual activity, in addition to alcohol itself, are marijuana, benzodiazepines, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. What can you do to minimize risk?Since these drugs can be slipped into soft drinks as well as alcoholic beverages, being a teetotaler won't necessarily save you. In order to minimize risk: • Don't accept drinks from
strangers.
• Don't accept drinks you
haven't opened yourself.
• Don't accept drinks coming
from large, open containers, such as punch bowls.
• Drink bottled or canned
drinks, and when you hold the drink, hold it with
your thumb over the opening.
• If you are drinking something
out of a glass, hold it from the top, with your hand
arched over the mouth of the glass.
• Don't leave drinks unattended.
• If you think your drink
may have been tampered with, don't drink it –
pour it out.
• Keep an eye on yourself
and friends for any changes in behavior, particularly
if you or they appear to be much more intoxicated
than expected, given the alcohol consumed. It's a
good idea to have your designated driver doing double
duty watching out for everyone.
• If you think you've been
drugged, go to the hospital with a friend, family
member, or the police. (And if you can, keep the
beverage for analysis.) Discuss This ArticleHave something you'd like to say? Tell us what you think! Read and post comments for this article. Like this article? Read more! Browse our archive of 1,108 articles. Also, see our master index of all MedHunters articles! Find a JobChoose your career: MedHunters is the world's biggest healthcare job board. Our job directory has 18,008 jobs with 2,507 hospitals and other direct employers. We want you to find your next job on MedHunters. Need Help? Call us at 1-888-884-8242, email us at info@medhunters.com or sign up now. Have an article or story for MedHunters? Email us today at submissions@medhunters.com. |
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