Teens and Date Rape Drugs
What Educators Need to Know About Drug Assisted Sexual Assault
Aug 25, 2007
Teens often lack the knowledge and experience with social drinking situations to properly protect themselves from sexual assault. Increasingly, perpetrators are using so-called "date rape" drugs to confuse their victims and decrease their ability to resist. How much do you know about these drugs?
What are they? Some popular examples are GHB, rohypnol, and ketamine. Tasteless, colorless, and odorless, they can be impossible to detect when secretly added to a person’s drink. Because of this fact, and the potential consequences of the effects below, they have been termed “date rape drugs.” Depending on the drug, they can present in the form of a liquid, powder, or a pill that easily dissolves in liquid.
What are the physical effects? Depending on the specific drug used, the immediate physical effects can include drowsiness, dizziness, problems seeing, memory loss, and the induction of a dream-like state. Seizures, tremors, breathing difficulties, and a slowing of the heart rate can also occur. Using alcohol in combination with ingestion of these drugs can increase these effects. In extreme cases, they can lead to coma or death. The additional use of alcohol or other drugs can intensify these effects.
What are some other dangers of “date rape drugs”? Since these drugs can impair motor function and judgment as well as cause confusion and perceptual distortions, those who consume them may unable to protect themselves from sexual assault. They may not be able to correctly evaluate a potentially dangerous situation, or may be unable to think clearly or defend themselves when they need to. Additionally, these drugs can cause users to lose consciousness, further putting themselves at risk for sexual assault or other forms of violence.
How can teens protect themselves? The ease with which these drugs can be slipped into a person’s drink is yet another good reason for teens to avoid social situations which might involve alcohol. Even so, they need to be careful not to accept any open drinks from others, and to never leave their drink unattended. At parties, teens should make sure they have friends with them that they trust, in case something does happen. They might not be able to rely on themselves to get help.
How can you help? Role play with teens some ways they can verbally assert themselves in sexual situations. Make sure they are informed about the dangers of date rape drugs, and of underage drinking in general. Make sure they know not to go off alone with someone they don’t know and trust well. Attending parties in groups is a good idea, and if anything happening at the party makes a teen uncomfortable, they should know that leaving is their safest option.
If a teen suspects they have been drugged and/or sexually assaulted. Memories may be cloudy, so even if they aren’t sure, teens should report the possibility that this has happened. Teens should go to the hospital or police station immediately. Urine tests may be able to detect the presence of date rape drugs in the system if too much time hasn’t lapsed. Teens can also National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
