Be safe, not spiked
Monday 14 February 2005
Drug assisted rape is a crime that has come to the attention of the general public fairly recently. But it's not a new phenomenon.
Victims are given a drug without their knowledge, usually by dropping a tablet or powder into their drink - that means their drink has been 'spiked'. These drugs then incapacitate them, leaving them vulnerable to sexual assault.
The nature of these crimes means that sometimes the victim of the crime has no memory of ever being spiked or raped.
According to the Roofie Foundation, an organisation that specialises in raising awareness of the issues surrounding drug-assisted rape, not all victims are women, with around 12 per cent of the callers to their helpline being male.
What to do to avoid being spiked
- If you're going out, make sure that someone knows where you are and what time you are expected home
- Go out in a group, and nominate somebody to keep an eye on your drinks if you must leave them unattended
- Try not to drink too much alcohol. The less sober you are, the less likely you are to notice if somebody has been tampering with your drink
- It's best if you don't accept a drink from somebody you don't know or trust, but if somebody does offer you a drink, make sure that it's opened in front of you
- Don't drink leftover drinks or share drinks with friends; stick to your own drinks and if you can drink from a bottle not a glass
- If in doubt at all about any drink you are being served, don’t drink it
How to tell and what to do if you've been spiked
- If you start to feel very drunk after just a couple of drinks, get help from a friend that you trust or ask a senior member of management at the club or pub you're in to help you
- Make sure that your friends call somebody such as a relative, partner or parents to come and fetch you from wherever you are. It's important that you get to a place of safety as soon as you can
- Make sure that you completely trust the person whom you’re asking for help. A large number of victims of drug-assisted rape are attacked by somebody they know
- Under no circumstances should you allow a stranger to help you or take you anywhere - even to your own home
What to do if you think you’ve been raped
- Date rape drugs can remove all memory of the previous evening. If you wake up in a strange place or even in your own bed and you have sore genitals or bruising, go straight to the police. Ask a friend to accompany you
- Ask that the police take a blood and urine sample, as this could be vital forensic evidence
- If you think you have been raped, you must go the police as soon as you can. Some date rape drugs can pass through the body very quickly and it's essential that you be examined as soon as possible so that it can be determined whether you have been given the drug
- If you're worried that you'll get into trouble for having taken drugs, the police are anxious to point out that anyone reported being raped whilst under the effect of drugs will not be prosecuted for drug taking, regardless of whether or not the drug was taken willingly
The Roofie Foundation has more information on drug-assisted rape and their helpline number is 0800 783 2980.
