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The Reality of the Date
Rape Drug
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P.
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.
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P. is the Founder of Lifetime Adoption (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
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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