Facts About Date-Rape Drugs
What are date-rape drugs?
These are drugs that are sometimesused to assist in committing a sexual assault. Sexual assault is any type ofsexual activity that a person does not agree to. Because of the effects ofthese drugs, victims may be physically helpless, unable to refuse sex, andunable to remember what happened. The drugs often have no color, odor or tasteand are easily added to flavored drinks without the victim’s knowledge.
What are the most common date-rapedrugs?
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid),ketamine and rohypnol are the most common date-rape drugs. Street names for GHBinclude Grievous Bodily Harm, Liquid G, Liquid Ecstasy, Somatomax, Cherry Meth,Easy Lay and Gamma 10. Street names for ketamine include Special K, Ket and K,Vitamin K, Kit Kat, Keller, Cat Valium, Purple and Super C. Street names forrohypnol include Roofies, R2, Roofenol, Roche, Roachies, La Rocha, Rope, Rib,Circles, Mexican Valium, Roach-2, Roopies, Ropies, Forget Pill, Trip-and-Falland Mind Erasers.
There are other drugs that affectjudgment and behaviour, and can put a person at risk for unwanted or riskysexual activity. Alcohol is one of those drugs, and can result in impairedjudgment, less ability to protect oneself and blackouts or memory loss.
What do these drugs look like?
GHB comes in a liquid with no odouror colour, a white powder and a pill. Ketamine is a white powder and Rohypnolis a pill that dissolves in liquid.
What are the effects of GHB on the victim?
drowsiness
dizziness
slow heart rate
nausea
loss of consciousness
ability to remember what happened while drugged
seizures
coma,death
What are the effects of ketamine on the victim?
]hallucinations
lost senseof time and identity
[agitation,aggressive or violent behaviour
convulsions
loss of consciousness
]loss of coordination
potentiallyfatal respiratory failure
What are the effects ofrohypnol on the victim?
lowerblood pressure
sleepiness
muscle relaxation or loss of muscle control
visualdi sturbances
loss of consciousness
problem stalking
in ability to remember what happened while drugged
nausea
How can a woman or men protectherself from date-rape drugs?
Whether you are at a bar,restaurant or in any public setting, keep yourself and your friends safe bydoing these simple things:
Never leave your drink unattended.
Do not accept open-container drinks from anyone but a bartender or server. If you areaccepting a drink, make sure it is from an unopened container and that you openthe container yourself.
Be wary about accepting drinks from anyone you do not know well or long enough to trust.
Attend parties or visit bars with a group of friends, arranging beforehand to watcheach other’s drinks.
If you arrive as a group, leave as a group.
Watch outfor your friends. If a friend shows symptoms of date-rape drug ingestion, seekmedical attention immediately.
Notify other females you know about the effects of these dangerous drugs.
[if If you think that you have been a victim, notify the authorities immediately.
What should a woman or man do if there is a suspected assault?
If you are ill or injured, call 999 or go ahospital emergency department for treatment. If you want to report theincident, call the police and preserve the evidence – do not shower, changeclothes, or brush your teeth – until you get a medical exam. Try not to urinateuntil medical/legal evidence is collected at the hospital. Your urine can betested for the presence of sedating drugs. The sooner you get to the hospital,the more likely the drug will be found in your system.
