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TEEN ISSUES AND LIVING
The Reality of the Date Rape Drug
by Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P.
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
(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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