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DATE RAPE DRUGS: WHAT BAR OWNERS AND STAFF NEED TO KNOW Sarah Kenney VT Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Montpelier, VT 223-1302 What are date rape drugs? • Drugs used as a weapon to commit sexual assault • Are often odorless, colorless and tasteless when slipped into drinks • Effects of the drugs are multiplied when combined with alcohol • Lower a person’s inhibitions • Make someone more vulnerable to assault • Most are central nervous system depressants Drug-Facilitated Rape • Victims are robbed of the ability to resist an assault and of the memory of what happened to them • Victims are incapable of giving or not giving consent to sexual activity • Many assailants are able to commit their crimes and remain undetected Who’s affected? Anyone of any age can be the target of drug-facilitated rape including: ü Women ü Men ü Teens ü Even bar owners and staff How Common is DrugFacilitated Rape? • No one really knows • Testing for drugs is difficult because of how quickly the body processes the drugs • Not everyone who is drugged seeks testing, because they may be unaware of what has happened Important Notes about Drug Facilitated Rape • Many drugs classified as “date rape drugs” are also used recreationally • Even if someone voluntarily uses drugs or alcohol, that is no excuse for rape or sexual assault Common Date Rape Drugs Alcohol Rohypnol GHB and GBL Ketamine Ecstasy Other drugs are also used About Alcohol • Alcohol use—by the victim, perpetrator or both—has been implicated in up to 75% of date rapes of college women. • Alcohol is implicated in more incidents of sexual violence— including sexual assault and child sexual abuse—than any other single drug. Rohypnol • • • • Is like Valium but is 7 to 10 times stronger Also known as roofies, roachies, la rocha, forget pill Effects are felt within 15 to 30 minutes Effects can last for up to 12 hours; amnesia can last for 8 hours • Is illegal in the U.S. and Canada to manufacture, distribute or possess • Is legal in Latin America and Europe as a treatment for insomnia and as a pre-anesthetic medication Rohypnol, etc. Picture from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website: www.dea.gov • Produced by Hoffman-LaRoche • Formulation of the drug being phased out is a one to two milligram tablet, usually white, round and smaller than aspirin • New formulation is olive green • In carbonated beverages like beer and soda, large amounts of foaming result for several minutes • Tablets dissolve slowly and particles may be visible on the bottom of the cup Effects of Rohypnol • Sedation • Dizziness • Lack of motor coordination • Muscle relaxation • Slurred speech • Memory impairment • Anterograde amnesia • • • • • • Impaired judgment Loss of inhibitions Loss of consciousness Visual disturbances Nausea Excitability or aggressive behavior in some users GHB • Gamma hydroxybutyrate • Also called liquid ecstasy, liquid X, grievous bodily harm, Georgia home boy, easy lay • Was banned by the FDA in 1990 • Most GHB is homemade • Recipes are available on the internet • Can be life threatening because potency varies from sample to sample GHB • • • • Often carried in water bottles Is a colorless and odorless liquid Has a slightly salty taste and is bitter Often mixed with alcohol or fruit drinks to mask the taste – makes it hard to recognize • Also masked in unusual concoctions or passed off as energy drinks Effects of GHB • Effects are felt within 15 to 30 minutes • Can last 3 to 6 hours, depending on the dosage • Can induce coma • As of November 2000, the Drug Enforcement Administration had identified 71 GHB related deaths. Effects of GHB • • • • • • • • Loss of consciousness Memory impairment Confusion Loss of inhibition Seizures Dizziness Extreme drowsiness Stupor • • • • Agitation Nausea Visual disturbances Severe respiratory depression • Reduced heart rate and blood pressure • Coma • Death GBL • Gamma Butyrolactone • When taken orally, GBL is naturally converted into GHB • Available legally in the US • Products that contained GBL (like health supplements) have been removed from the market but many were reintroduced with new names and contain BD which the body makes in to GHB • Sold in kits via the internet to make GHB Effects of GBL • A label on Renewtrient (a product containing GBL that was marketed as a dietary supplement and has been taken off the market) warns that one ounce will induce deep sleep for 3 to 6 hours from which a person may be unarousable. • Excessive doses cause sweating, muscle spasms, vomiting, bedwetting, and diarrhea. Effects of GBL • • • • • Seizures Vomiting Slow breathing Slow heart rate Unable to recall events that occurred after taking GBL • May be ambulatory but confused Ketamine • Also considered a date rape drug • Comes as a liquid, white pill or powder that dissolves easily in liquid Picture from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website: www.dea.gov Other drugs used to facilitate rape • Benzodiazepines that are legally available in the U.S like Valium, Xanax, and Halcion • Over-the-counter sleeping aids • Muscle relaxants • Antihistamines (like Benadryl) • Prescription muscle relaxants • Barbiturates • Cocaine • Marijuana • Opiates • Amphetamines such as Ecstasy and PCP Percent of Positive Tests for Each Substance Results of testing on urine samples for 1,891 people who believe they were drugged and sexually assaulted and were submitted for testing between June 1996 and January 1999. Samples may test positive for more than one substance. Alcohol No substance found Marijuana Other benzodiazepines Cocaine Amphetamines GHB Opiates Barbiturates Rohypnol 41% 39% 18% 14% 8% 7% 3% 3% 1% Less than 1% Testing for Date Rape Drugs • A full drug screen is available through your local hospital – tests for all drugs in system • Most effective tests are urine tests • Most drugs will be eliminated from the urine in less than 96 hours • Time limit for many drugs is significantly less Things to look for if you suspect someone has been drugged • Someone acts and feels drunk, even if they haven’t had much to drink • Confusion • Dizziness • Nausea • Drowsiness • Slurred speech • Distorted vision • • • • • • • Seizures Muscle stiffness Respiratory problems Memory loss Decreased inhibitions Calm feelings Hallucinations (especially if they haven’t taken any hallucinogenic drugs) • Loss of consciousness • Coma What can patrons do to stay safe? • Watch their drink be poured • Keep their hand over their drinks at all times • Ask someone to watch over their drink while dancing or in the bathroom • Discard their drink if it tastes differently than it should • Be alert to the behavior of their friends If you think someone has been drugged, try asking the following questions: • • • • • How much have you had to drink? What have you had to drink? Who did you come here with? What is your relationship to the person you’re leaving with? How are you getting home? Who can we call to get you home safely? • At any point, did you leave your drink unattended? Or, did you accept a drink from someone you didn’t know? Important Phone Numbers • 911, especially if someone has lost consciousness • Some of these drugs are fatal when combined with alcohol Important Phone Numbers • Your local law enforcement agency. • Report someone you believe is drugging others’ drinks – don’t just send someone off to the next bar, where they can find another victim. Important Phone Numbers • Sexual Violence Hotline: 1-800-489-7273 (in Vermont) • Learn more about medical and legal options for people who believe they have been drugged