What is Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault?
About Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Some incidents of sexual assault involve the survivor being drugged. This can allow the perpetrator to have easier access to commit the crime.
If you believe you have been drugged, seek medical attention immediately.
If you have been a victim of drug facilitated sexual assault, you are not to blame. Having used drugs or alcohol does not make sexual assault reasonable or defensible. It is not your fault.
If you believe you have been the victim of drug facilitated sexual assault, there are some things you can do right away.
Preservation of Evidence Has a Short Window in Some Cases
If you believe you were drugged – and you wish to preserve evidence of being drugged, it is important to act right away. Some drugs leave your system in as little as 24 hours. Many drugs become untraceable within 72 hours. If someone has drugged you, providing evidence of the drug in your system may be critical later on in an investigation (should you wish to involve the police).
If you suspect you were drugged, you can take steps to preserve the evidence for an investigation. Many of these drugs leave the body quickly, within 12 to 72 hours.
If you can’t get to a hospital immediately
Save your urine in a clean, sealable container as soon as possible, and place it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Contact Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) at 215-425-1625 or 215-800-1589.
PSARC Location
The Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center is located at the Philadelphia Safety Collaborative – 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124
The mission of the PSARC is to provide medical care and forensic examinations to victims of sexual assault in a private and personal setting designed to minimize stress or further trauma to the victim.
PSARC has specially trained nurses on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week who will perform a rape exam, collect evidence, and provide advice and counseling referrals to victims of rape and sexual violence.
The PSARC on-call response is activated through the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit.
Call 215-425-1625 to reach PSARC’s on-call sexual assault nurse examiner. The general number for PSARC is 215-800-1589.
Victims can also call SVU (Special Victims Unit) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 215-685-3251, 215-685-3252, or 215-685-3253 for additional assistance and direction.
In Philadelphia, you can contact the WOAR 24-hour hotline at 215-985-3333 to request a Sexual Assault Counselor, a trained Crisis Advocate, or a Volunteer Advocate, for an in-person Forensic Exam/ Medical Accompaniment at PSARC.
More drug facilitated sexual assault – Use of Date Rape Drugs
Drug-facilitated sexual assault is sexual assault involving the use of drugs to compromise a person’s ability to resist, make the assault easier for the perpetrator, and possible prevent the victim from remembering the event or details of the event.
Date Rape Drugs refer to drugs perpetrators use to facilitate committing sexual assault. People probably think of the term “roofies” when imagining date rape drugs, but the truth is, alcohol is the most common date rape drug.
Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault Can Happen to Anyone
It is important to remember that drug facilitated sexual assault can (and does) happen to anyone at any time. Individuals who use drugs and alcohol to facilitate sexual assault are not deterred by physicality, strength, size, or ability. They use substances specifically to give them an advantage over their victims. Though you may think you can “defend yourself,” it makes it hard to defend yourself if you’ve been drugged and are unconscious. Perpetrators use drugs specifically, so they don’t have to overpower their victims at all.
Our point is drug facilitated sexual assault can (and does) happen to anyone. A person should not think that drug facilitated sexual assault won’t happen to them because they are “tough” or “strong” or “know self-defense techniques.” Avoiding being drugged, or avoiding finding yourself over-intoxicated is the best defense against drug facilitated sexual assault.
How “Getting Drugged” Happens
The type of drug-facilitated sexual assault people tend to think about first is when someone puts a drug in your drink or food, but drug facilitated sexual assault happens in several ways. Sometimes the perpetrator puts a drug into food or drink, but this is not the only way. Too often, they take advantage of your voluntary use of drugs or alcohol – they are “on the lookout” for victims who are intoxicated already or are getting intoxicated.
It is not your fault.
Many survivors place blame on themselves after a drug-facilitated sexual assault. This is especially true for people who had been drinking or consuming drugs voluntarily. But this is not correct – you may have decided to use drugs or alcohol, but you didn’t also decide to be sexually assaulted. The ONLY person to blame is the perpetrator.
Some Common Date Rape Drugs (not a complete list)
Alcohol
A perpetrator may serve you a drink with more alcohol in it than a person can remember, or someone may not know how much alcohol is in the punch bowl at the party. For teenagers and young adults, this may be the first time they have consumed alcohol and may not be aware of their limits.
Gamma Hydroxy Butrate (GHB)
Some nicknames: Easy lay, Gib, Liquid X, Natural Sleep-500. This drug is a clear liquid or white crystalline powder, which is colorless and odorless. It can have a salty taste. Effects can be felt within 15 minutes and can last 2-3 hours. Common reactions are nausea, disorientation, hangover-free high, coma, seizures, hallucinations, respiratory arrest, diarrhea, memory loss, sleep-walking, and decreased body temperature. There can be fatal reactions when mixed with alcohol.
Ketamine
Some nicknames: Special K, Vitamin K, New Ecstasy, Ketalar, Super K. This drug, which is an anesthetic commonly used on animals, may be in tablet, powder, or liquid form. The effects may make one feel dreamy or experience hallucinations. Some common reactions are impaired attention and memory, slowed breathing, high blood pressure, depression, amnesia, and flashbacks.
Rohypnol
Some nicknames: the drop pill, roofies. This drug is usually white, round tablets smaller than a dime and can come in liquid form. When put into a drink it is colorless, tasteless and odorless. This drug can create a “drunk-like” state within 10 minutes. Some common reactions are confusion, loss of muscle control, dizziness, loss of inhibitions, memory lapses, reduced levels of consciousness or complete unconsciousness.
Two similar drugs appear to have replaced Rohypnol abuse in some parts of the United States. These are: clonazepam (marketed as Klonopin in the U.S. and Rivotril in Mexico) and alprazolam (marketed as Xanax).
This of course is not a complete list of drugs perpetrators can use to facilitate sexual assault.
Prevention of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Some Things You Can Do to Help Reduce Chances of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
- Do not drink beverages that you do not open yourself.
- Do not consume beverages someone else gives you
- Do not let someone else “mix” a drink for you
- Keep your drink in your hand and do not consume beverages if they have left your hand
- Do not share or exchange drinks.
- Do not drink from a punchbowl at a party.
- Do not leave your drink unattended (on the table) while in the bathroom, dancing or talking with friends.
- If you feel strange or ill seek medical attention immediately.
- Keep an eye on your friends. If they are acting strangely intervene.
- Don’t let your friends leave by themselves if they are intoxicated or could be
- Intervention – if you find someone unconscious, call 911 and do not leave their side until aid arrives – do not leave them alone
- Ask if you see someone struggling or behaving as if they may be drugged or intoxicated, and ask if you can help them
- Tell someone if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or even just “odd”, don’t go outside – tell a bartender, bouncer, or friend, or call 911.
If You Have or Think You May Have Been a Victim of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault:
Contact the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) at 215-425-1625 or 215-800-1589.
PSARC Location:
The Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center is located at the Philadelphia Safety Collaborative – 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124
The mission of the PSARC is to provide medical care and forensic examinations to victims of sexual assault in a private and personal setting designed to minimize stress or further trauma to the victim.
PSARC has specially trained nurses on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week who will perform a rape exam, collect evidence, and provide advice and counseling referrals to victims of rape and sexual violence.
The PSARC on-call response is activated through the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit.
Call 215-425-1625 to reach PSARC’s on-call sexual assault nurse examiner. The general number for PSARC is 215-800-1589.
Victims can also call SVU (Special Victims Unit) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 215-685-3251, 215-685-3252, or 215-685-3253 for additional assistance and direction.
In Philadelphia, you can contact the WOAR 24-hour hotline at 215-985-3333 to request a Sexual Assault Counselor, trained Crisis Advocate, or Volunteer Advocate to meet you for an in-person Forensic Exam / Medical Accompaniment at PSARC.
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