Date Rape Drugs

What are “Date Rape Drugs?”

Certain drugs, such as Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine, are sometimes called “rape drugs” because they can be used to facilitate sexual assault. When the drugs are hidden in a drink, they may be undetectable. The drugs can induce confusion, weakness, and/or unconsciousness. When ingested, these substances are harmful, even fatal.

The drugs are usually slipped into a victim’s drink without the victim’s knowledge or consent. When the drugs dissolve in the drink, they can be colorless, odorless and in some cases tasteless. Many of these drugs are also known as “club drugs” and are used at raves, clubs, and concerts.

Some rapists use these drugs to overpower and incapacitate their victims to facilitate a sexual assault. These crimes are sometimes called “drug-facilitated sexual assaults.”

Check out this YouTube video to learn more about how drug-facilitated sexual assaults can occur.

Signs You May Have Been Drugged

  • Feeling much more intoxicated than your usual response to the amount of alcohol you consumed.
  • Feeling intoxicated and not recalling consuming any alcohol.
  • Waking up feeling intensified symptoms of a hangover, feeling “fuzzy,” experiencing memory lapse, and being unable to account for a period of time.
  • Remembering taking a drink but being unable to recall what happened for a period of time after you consumed the drink.
  • Feeling as though someone had sex with you, but being unable to remember any or the entire incident.

Protecting Yourself and Others

  • Do not accept drinks from people you do not know.
  • Do not drink beverages that you did not open yourself.
  • Do not share or exchange drinks with anyone.
  • Do not take a drink from a punch bowl or a container that is being passed around.
  • If possible, if you choose to drink, 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.
  • Do not 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.
  • Do not drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance (e.g., salty taste, excessive foam, unexplained residue).
  • Do not mix drugs and alcohol.
  • Be aware of your surroundings, keep track of your drinks, and look out for your friends. Appoint a friend who will not drink and who will regularly check up on the others in your group. Leave parties with people you know, not alone or with someone you do not know and trust.
  • If someone seems very drunk after a single beverage, is exhibiting behavior that appears unusual for the circumstance, is having trouble breathing, or passes out and can not be awakened, realize that the person may be in danger. Get medical attention immediately. Call 911 for emergency medical help. Do not assume the person just needs to “sleep it off,” this assumption could be potentially fatal.
  • If you see or hear that someone is “dosing” a drink, 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. If you have information that could potentially save others from being harmed, contact the Butler University Police Department. Anonymous reports may be made online using the form on the Silent Watch web page.
  • If you think you or someone you know may have been drugged, get to a safe place and take steps to report the incident and get medical care. Most “rape drugs” are metabolized very quickly by the body, so time is of the essence.

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