Download Handout: Sexual Assault, Alcohol, and Drugs

Sexual Assault, Alcohol, and Drugs1
Definitions:
Sexual Violence:
- An umbrella term for sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, verbal harassment, etc.
Sexual Assault: (“Sexual Assault Happens”, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program)
- Any form of sexual activity carried out without a person’s consent. It includes any
unwanted kissing, fondling, touching, oral sex or sexual intercourse, not stopping
sexual contact when asked to, and forcing someone into any sexual act.
Sexual Harassment: (Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, Sexual Assault Legal Education Project,
2003/2004).
- Any behavior, comment, or gesture of a sexual nature that is deemed to be
inappropriate.
- Unwanted behavior that makes an individual feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
- An abuse of power. It can be coercive or subtle in nature.
- Examples: threats/intimidation, untrue sexual comments said about an individual,
comments about an individual’s sexual identity, displaying sexist or demeaning
pictures, etc.
Types of Sexual Assault: (Sexual Assault Zine, Avalon Sexual Assault Centre)
- Criminal Harassment (stalking)
- Sexual Harassment
- Incest
- Date/Acquaintance Sexual Assault (date rape)
- Stranger sexual assault
- Gang sexual assault
- Sexual Exploitation
- Psychological Sexual Violence
- Partner sexual assault
- Gay Bashing
- Heterosexism
Stranger Sexual Assault:(The Empowerment Project. Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre
Inc. 2003)
- The sexual assault of a person by someone who the victim does not know.
- Only 22% of reported sexual assaults are committed by a stranger.
1
Adapted from the “Healthy Transitions” resource (Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre % Sexual Assault
Services Association, 2011)
Acquaintance Sexual Assault: (The Empowerment Project. Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis
Centre Inc. 2003)
- The sexual assault of a person by someone known to the victim.
- Can be committed by a person you have just met, a friend, a friend of a fried, a
family member, a person in any position of authority (professor, coach boss, your
drive home, etc.)
Relationship Sexual Assault: (The Empowerment Project. Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis
Centre Inc. 2003)
- The sexual assault of a person by a partner in a long-term romantic relationship.
Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault: (“Sexual Assault Happens”, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
Program)
- Occurs when drugs or alcohol are used to compromise an individual’s ability to
consent to sexual activity.
- It is important to remember that there is NO CONSENT when a person is under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, passed out, or in any other state that makes them
incapable of consenting to any type of sexual activity.
- *The most common drug used in drug facilitated sexual assault is alcohol.
Consent: (“Sexual Assault Happens”, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program)
- Permission for any sexual activity (or any activity that includes your space or body)
with another individual that is given voluntarily without pressure or coercion.
- Only “yes” means “yes”!
Alcohol: (http://www.drinkingfacts.ca/english/downloads/facts.pdf)
- A psychoactive drug. It affects your senses, thoughts, behavior, and emotions.
- In Canada, the most commonly used drug is alcohol.
A standard drink contains 13.6 g of alcohol. Standard drinks are:
o 355 ml (12 ounce) can of 5% beer
o 146 ml (5 ounce) glass of 10% to 12% wine
o 44 ml (1.5 ounce) of 40% hard liquor or spirits
o All of the above standard drinks have the same amount of alcohol in them.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning:
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Shallow or irregular breathing
- Blue/grey clammy skin
- Low body temperature,
- Unconsciousness (“passed out”) and unresponsive
Common drugs associated with drug facilitated sexual assault:
(http://orcc.net/violence/drug_assault.html)
Alcohol
Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, which is indicated by such things as lowered
inhibitions, disturbed motor skills, slurred speech and blurred vision. A large intake of alcohol
over a very short period of time can result in a temporary coma or in alcohol poisoning. It is by
far the most prevalent date rape drug because it is easy to use, readily available, legal and
socially acceptable.
In some cases the perpetrator takes advantage of a woman who is drinking heavily and is less
able to resist advances. Sometimes the perpetrator actively encourages drunkenness by buying
drinks or by fixing drinks with more alcohol than called for.
Rohypnol
The most well-known date rape drug is flunitrazepam, more commonly known as “Rohypnol,”
“roofies,” or “the forget pill.” Although it is illegal in Canada and the United States, it is still
prescribed in Mexico for sleeping disorders.
Rohypnol is a potent drug that produces a sedative effect lasting up to 8 hours. It is often
combined with alcohol, marijuana or cocaine to produce a rapid and dramatic high. After
consuming the drug, it takes between 20 and 30 minutes before it takes effect. Depending on
the dosage, the effects can last from 8 to 24 hours. It can also blur a victim’s memory for hours
after taken. Especially when mixed with alcohol, it can cause severe intoxication, respiratory
depression, aspiration and even death.
If dissolved in a drink, it is odourless and tasteless, but may colour the liquid blue or murky
because of a special new dye. The pills are usually either small, round and white with the word
“Roche” printed on them, or green and oval-shaped with the number 542 printed on them.
GHB
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB, also called “G” or “Liquid X”) is a fairly common drug. It is used
by weightlifters to enhance muscle growth. Some recreational drug users take it with other
drugs, and some individuals use it for its “aphrodisiac” side effects (lowered inhibitions and
heightened sense of touch).
It is usually a colourless liquid—it looks just like water—and can easily be poured into a drink. It
will taste slightly soapy or bitter. GHB takes between 15 and 20 minutes to have effect and can
last a couple of hours. High doses can lead to vomiting, respiratory depression and even death.
It is especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol. It disappears from the body fairly quickly
and may be undetectable only 12 hours after ingestion.
Ketamine
Ketamine (also called “K” or “Special K”) is still legally used by veterinarians as an anesthetic in
animal surgery. It can make a person feel “numb” or pass out. It can also induce a “trance-like”
state—sometimes called a “k-hole”—in which a victim may have no idea what is going on
around them. It may also cause hallucinations. Unlike GHB and Rohypnol, someone doped with
Ketamine will probably not be mistaken for someone who is just really drunk. It tastes very bad,
so is easier to notice in a drink.
Cannabis: marijuana, hash
Cannabis is the second most common drug found in drug-facilitated sexual assault victims.
Marijuana is a commonly used recreational drug. While it does not have the incapacitating or
memory loss effects of the “date-rape” drugs, it lowers inhibitions and reduces good judgment.
Ecstasy
Ecstasy is commonly sold as small pills or capsules and is also available in powder and liquid
forms. It can be slipped into an individual's drink in order to facilitate sexual assault.
Ecstasy causes individuals to feel extreme relaxation and positivity towards others while it
increases sensitivity to touch. When under the influence of ecstasy individuals are less likely to
be able to sense danger and it may leave them unable to protect themselves from attack.
Other possible date rape drugs
Virtually any drug that induces muscle relaxation, drowsiness or an emotional state such as
euphoria can be used for drug-facilitated sexual assault. This could include prescription drugs
such as valium and all similar tranquilizers; anti-depressants; sleeping pills; and over-thecounter drugs such as muscle relaxants or even aspirin with codeine. Almost any drug can make
people act in ways that they normally wouldn’t and can reduce alertness.
It is important to remember that in drug facilitated sexual assault, the perpetrator does not
always drug the victim. It can also be the case that the perpetrator takes advantage of someone
who is clearly intoxicated and unable to legally give consent.
Signs and Symptoms of drugging
 sudden light headedness
 feeling paralyzed or powerless
 waking up confused
 severe headaches, vomiting
 scattered or no memory
 intoxication with minimal alcohol
 acting out uncontrollably
 heightened sex drive
 hallucinations, loss of consciousness
Sexual Assault Statistics:
How often does sexual assault occur?
-
-
In Canada, there are on average 65 reports of sexual assault a day. According to this
figure, that means a sexual assault occurs every 22 minutes (Statistics Canada,
2005).
In 2009, a total of 701 sexual assault incidents were reported to the police in Nova
Scotia, which includes 595 (or 85%) female victims (UCR2, 2009).
Nova Scotia has the highest rate of sexual assault per capita in Canada (Statistics
Canada, 2004).
In Halifax Regional Municipality, there is on average 1 sexual assault reported every
day (HRP, 2006).
Only 8% of women who have experienced sexual assault report it to the police
(Juristat, 2004).
Who are the victims of sexual violence?
-
In 2004, 84% of Canadians who reported being sexually assaulted were women. 16%
were men (GSS, 2004).
31,000 Nova Scotians indicated that they were victims of sexual assault in 2004 – a
rateof 40 per 1,000 population aged 15 and over (GSS, 2004).
In Antigonish since 2007, 67% of sexual assault victims reporting through the SANE
program were between the ages of 13-25. This is representative of national statistics
that indicate the highest reported sexual offences are against this age group.
Who are the offenders?
-
In 82% of assaults, the offender was someone the victim knew. In only 18% of
assaults, the offender was a complete stranger (Statistics Canada, 2010).
97% of persons accused of sexual assault are men (Statistics Canada, 2010).
** It is very important to note that although 97% of offenders are men, NOT 97% of
all men are offenders.