Largest at-risk group?

Women 18-24, university students

Second-largest risk group?
Professional women in business
travelling to conferences
At home
Drug rape is about power and domination


A person cannot consent to sex when under the influence of drugs; sex without consent is rape Drug rape happens to men too



How it happens
 Alcohol is the most common vehicle
• Takes effect within 10-30 minutes
• Alcohol can make it stronger
• No colour smell or taste, or bitter taste masked by alcohol
• Can also be given in coffee, orange juice or cola
 Can be by injection or inhaled
• Takes effect almost immediately
 Often, the offender is a friend or acquaintance
 Can be pills, liquid or white powder



Symptoms
 You may black out
• You may still be moving around and talking but not remember much
 Common symptoms are: relaxation, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, tremors, sweating, dream-like feeling, sudden drunk feeling, problems talking, confusion, distorted perception, loss of co-ordination, slurred speech – in other words, you can look very drunk



Aftermath
 You may wake up feeling dizzy and disoriented or clear-headed, depending on the drug
 You may wake up naked or sore
 Many of these drugs take away your memory
 You may have disjointed flashbacks
 There may be long-term damage from an overdose
 Drugs may be detected in urine tests 12-72 hours later, so seek medical help and don’t urinate beforehand
 Don’t shower before examination
 Protect yourself from infection and pregnancy




What can women do?
 Take your own drinks to parties and drink out of bottles (harder to slip something into)
 Buy your own drinks or watch them being opened
 Never let a stranger buy you a drink
 Don’t drink from punch bowls or open containers
 Go out with a group of friends and make a pact to stay together
 NEVER leave drinks unattended, even to go to the bathroom
 Tell someone you trust where you’re going out



What can men do?
 Drug rapists like to boast “with the boys”
• Openly condemn drug rape
 Discuss with men the impact of drug rape on women
• Drug rapists rationalise that “it doesn’t count if she was unconscious”
• Alcohol’s a drug too
 Be alert for predatory behaviour in other men
• Many drug rapists think they are “smarter” than other rapists
 Watch for drink spiking
• Drugs come in colourless liquids, pills, or white powder



What can men do?
 Make a safety plan before you go out
 If you suspect a woman has been drugged, don’t let a man take her away, make sure she rests somewhere safe until the effect has worn off, or seek medical care
• She may look drunk
• Drug rapists are forceful liars and may claim to know her and offer to take her home; they may aggressively resist your “interference”
• Drug rapists often know their victim