The Reality of the Date Rape Drug
by
Mardie
Caldwell
zone3
Each month, more than ten women of all ages and backgrounds contact our
Adoption Center with the same experience -- they have been victims of a
date rape drug and are now pregnant. Most of the time, these women do not
know who the biological father is.
Rohypnol is becoming the drug of
choice for would-be rapists. Most predators target unsuspecting victims by
slipping these illicit drugs into beverages at parties, bars, nightclubs,
and dances. Rape drugs have the power to make one drink feel like six or
more.
Laura, a sophomore from Florida, was one such woman who called our
center. Laura attended a private party off campus. She thinks that she was
probably dancing when the perpetrator laced her beer. She only had one
drink and started feeling sick; then her memory became foggy.
“I started feeling drowsy, really dizzy and confused about where I was.
I went to the party alone, which was my first mistake.”
Laura has no memory of what happened for the next eight hours. She woke
up half-naked in a back room of the club with bruises on her thighs. She
suspected that someone may have had sex with her, but couldn’t remember
any details. She was hung over for days afterward.
Laura blocked the whole incident from her mind and allowed a numbness
to take over. Her grades fell, and she found her mind wandering in class.
Six weeks later, she discovered that she was pregnant. Laura dropped out
of college to have the baby and chose to have him adopted by a childless
couple through our adoption center. “I needed to do something positive,
and it wasn’t the child’s fault,” Laura said.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “Date Rape” is one of the
fastest-growing drug-facilitated sexual assault crimes in America today. A
recent large study found that one in four college women reported being the
victim of rape or attempted rape, and 84% of their assailants were
boyfriends or acquaintances. Most victims remember nothing of the incident
except the feeling of being violated. The same study found that one in
four college men admitted to having used sexual aggression with women, and
one in twelve admitted committing a sexual assault of some kind.
GHB, one of the most popular date-rape drugs, is sometimes added to
punch or other open container drinks at fraternity parties, college
functions and social gatherings. It is often given to female party goers
in hopes of lowering their inhibitions and facilitating a potential sexual
conquest for the assailant.
The victims of this crime who contact our center are of all backgrounds
and ages. Many are still in some shock over being pregnant and have little
to share about the “father” of their child.
Rohypnol, another common date-rape drug, is not legal in the US. It is
produced and sold by prescription in Europe and Latin America, then
smuggled into the United States.
Rohypnol can often be dissolved in a
beverage and is undetectable. In combination with alcohol, it can induce a
blackout with memory loss lasting 8-24 hours. The drug takes effect after
roughly ten minutes. Victims of the drug report feeling dizzy and
disoriented, and some become nauseated.
By taking preventive measures to protect yourself and your friends, you
can avoid becoming a potential victim.
Here are a few helpful tips for staying aware, alert and safe:
- Do not accept drinks from anyone you don't know well.
- If you are accepting a drink, make sure it's from an unopened
container, and that you open it yourself.
- If dancing, don’t leave your drink unattended. If your drink has
been left unattended, toss it out.
- Consider buying a specially designed drug testing coaster (see
below) to test your drink for the drug. They are low-cost and a smart
choice.
- If your drink tastes or looks different than it should, if it tastes
"funny" or has residue in it, throw it away.
- Don't go to parties alone.
- Assign a designated sober person when going out.
- Be observant to the behaviors and actions of your friends. Trust
your instincts.
- Keep a charged cell phone with you in the event you have a problem
and need help.
Please, share this information with your friends. Stay safe and
vigilant, and remember that you are your own best protector.
Women’s Resources: If you have been the victim of rape and think that
you may be pregnant, Lifetime can help. Call 1-800-923-6784.
Drug
testing coaster: a drop of liquid on a cardboard drink coaster can
identify two of the most popular date-rape drugs. If the spot turns blue,
toss that cocktail. Fifteen million of these coasters have already been
distributed; look for them at 7-Elevens. See http://www.drinksafetech.com/. It
runs about 50¢ a coaster.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (Rohypnol
and GHB)
http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofax/RohypnolGHB.html
Copyright © 2005 Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P. Mardie@LifetimeAdoption.com
All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this may be copied or sold
without permission.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P. is the Founder of Lifetime Adoption (http://www.lifetime.com/) . She is an
adoptive parent, the author of AdoptingOnline.com and Adoption: Your
Step-by-Step Guide, and radio talk show host of “Let’s Talk Adoption…with
Mardie Caldwell” at http://www.letstalkadoption.com/.
Mardie has written numerous articles on parenting, adoption, travel, and
finance. She and her husband have four children and live in Northern
California.
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