- Refuses to let you share any of the
expenses on a date.
- Invades your personal space by sitting too close,
using his/her body to block your way, speaking as if he/she knows you better than
he/she actually does, or touching you when you ask him/her not to.
- Insists on being alone with you.
- Tries to get you intoxicated and/or makes you
feel bad for not wanting to get drunk, get high, have sex, or go with
him/her to an isolated place like his/her apartment.
- Treats women as sexual objects and feels entitled
to sex.
- Sexual narcissism
General Protection Measures | top
It's important to remember that no one is ever at fault for being a victim
of violence. The offender is always responsible for violent behavior.
General Protection Measures
- Street:
- If you go out after dark, go with a friend. Stay in
well-lighted, populated areas. Cross the street if you see anything on
your side that makes you nervous. If you are getting dropped off, ask
the driver to wait until you are safely inside before leaving.
- If you go somewhere with friends,
stay together and watch out for each other. Don't leave
anyone behind or let anyone leave with someone they do not know or someone with
whom you are not comfortable.
- Vehicle:
- Keep your car doors locked and windows rolled up most of the way.
- Don't pick up hitchhikers.
- If you are being followed, don't go home.
Drive to the nearest police station or safe place with people visibly
present.
- Check the back seat and floors before you get into your car to
be sure no one is hiding.
- If possible carry a cellular phone, and keep it charged.
- Keep car keys in hand when approaching your vehicles so that
you may enter it with ease.
- Home:
- Change old locks when you move to a new residence.
- Make sure your doors have dead bolts, security chains, and peepholes. Use them.
- If you suspect your home has been broken into, don't go into your home.
Go to a neighbor and call the police.
- Don't hide spare keys outdoors. They are too easy to find.
- Lock your doors and windows, draw shades/blinds
at night, and leave a light on implying that someone is home.
- Don't hesitate to call 911 if you think you are in danger.
Remember, sexual violence is more likely to be committed by someone you know and
trust, not by a stranger.
Alcohol, Drugs and Rape | top
Alcohol and Rape
Alcohol is the number one drug used to facilitate sexual violence and rape. The National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 2002 report on college drinking estimates that more
than 70,000 students, 18-24 years of age, survive alcohol related rape/sexual violence each year. Sometimes a rapist takes advantage of someone who chooses to drink recreationally. Sometimes the victim is drinking voluntarily, and sometimes the perpetrator pressures her/him to drink heavily so that she/he will be less capable of resisting an assault. Alcohol is the most commonly used drug to facilitate rape.
The effects of alcohol include impaired
judgment and motor coordination, disinhibition, dizziness, confusion, and
extreme drowsiness. If enough alcohol is consumed, an individual may lose
consciousness or may not remember details of what occurred. Alcohol is also credited with the
misinterpretation of body language and sexual intent. For example, men may overestimate women's
interest in them as sexual partners and friendly behavior may be mistaken for sexual intent.
Signs that you may
have been drugged/raped:
1. You wake up very hung over
2. You have a memory lapse or a period of time for which you cannot acccount
3. You remember having a drink but can't recall what happened afterwards
4. You have sensations of drunkenness that do not correspond with the amounts of
alcohol consumed
5. You feel as though someone had sex with you, but you can't remember
6. You have unexplainable signs of physical trauma |
Drugs and Rape
Predatory drugs, also referred to as date rape drugs, are causing increasing concern on college
and university campuses across the United States. The term predatory drug is used
to describe substances such as Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine--drugs commonly used to facilitate
rape and other forms of sexual violence. But technically, any substance that is used to prevent
you from asserting yourself or your needs is a predatory drug. This includes marijuana, ecstasy,
over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and alcohol.
Predatory drugs are easily slipped into food and beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic,
and are fast-acting. Like most drugs, predatory drugs render a person incapable of making
appropriate decisions. They impair motor coordination, judgment, and the person's ability to
remember details of what happened while the drug was active in her/his system. This produces
a passive victim, one who is aware of and able to play a role in what is happening but who will
have no clear memory of events after-the-fact. The use of predatory drugs creates a victim who
does not have the opportunity to say no.
Sexual predators rarely use these drugs with the intent of using them safely. It is not likely
that a predator has taken the time to measure out a safe dose; therefore one person may
feel dizziness or confusion while another person may lapse into a coma.
Predatory drugs are virtually undetectable in food and beverages; most are colorless, odorless,
and tasteless. Traces of most predatory drugs leave the body within 72 hours of ingestion
and cannot be detected in any routine toxicology screen or blood test. Because of memory loss and the speed at which the drugs metabolize, it can be difficult to make and support a claim that a
drug was used to facilitate sexual violence. Doctors and police have to be looking specifically
for them and they have to act quickly.
For these reasons, it is important that you familiarize yourself with these drugs, their adverse effects, and how to protect yourself in social situations.
GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate)
GHB was banned in the United States in 1990 and approved only for medical use in July 2002 for the treatment of narcolepsy. Prior to the ban, it was marketed and sold at health food stores as both
a sleep-aid and a body building supplement.
The effects of GHB:
GHB is a central nervous system depressant. Effects occur within 10-15 minutes after ingestion
and last 2-3 hours unless combined with alcohol, where effects can last 20-30 hours. Large
doses of GHB can produce sleep within five minutes. Once in your system the drug can cause
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, dehydration, seizures, respiratory depression,
hallucinations, giddiness, disinhibition and unconsciousness. When mixed with alcohol, GHB
can cause coma and/or death.
GHB can cause partial or complete amnesia, meaning you may not be able to
remember anything you did or anything that was done to you while under the influence of the drug.
What does GHB look like?
GHB is most often manufactured by non-professionals who combine various chemical ingredients in
kitchen sinks or bathtubs, meaning that the drug varies in purity, concentration, and potency;
the same amount from two separate batches can have very different effects. GHB is usually
distributed in colorless, odorless liquid form but can also be a white crystalline powder. It
may be detected by a slight salty taste. It is usually sold by the capful and cost ranges from
$5-25 per capful.
Street names for GHB: Grievous Bodily Harm (GHB), Liquid X, Easy Lay, G, Vita-G, G-Juice,
Georgia Home Boy, Great Hormones, Somatomax, Bedtime Scoop, Soap, Gamma 10, and Energy Drink.
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam)
Rohypnol is the brand name for flunitrazepam, a benzodiazephine drug used to treat sleep disorders. It is in the same family of medication as Valium and Xanax, but it is ten times more
potent. In the United States Rohypnol has not been approved for medical use and it is illegal
to manufacture, distribute or possess the drug.
The effects of Rohypnol:
Rohypnol is a fast-acting sedative. Effects occur within 15-20 minutes after ingestion and last
6-12 hours depending on dosage and whether or not it was mixed with alcohol.
Once in your system, the drug can cause drowsiness, confusion, impaired motor skills,
dizziness, disinhibition, dehydration, impaired judgment and a reduced level of consciousness.
When combined with alcohol Rohypnol can produce extremely low blood pressure, respiratory
depression, difficulty breathing, coma or death.
Like GHB, Rohypnol can cause partial or complete amnesia, meaning you may not be able to remember anything you did or anything that was done to you while under the influence of the drug.
What does Rohypnol look like?
Rohypnol is usually found in 1-2 milligram white tablets, in clear, foil-backed packaging. Cost
ranges from $3-5 per tablet. Pills can be ground into powder form. Rohypnol dissolves in liquid,
both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and is colorless, odorless and tasteless. The company that
manufactures Rohypnol, Hoffman-LaRoche, has taken measures to make the drug more identifiable:
newer tablets create a blue-green dye when dissolved in liquid and take longer to dissolve.
Street names for Rohypnol: Ruffies, Roofies, Rophies, Roches, La Rochas, Rope, Rib,
Forget Pill, Whiteys, Mind Erasers, Mexican Vallium, Lunch Money.
Ketamine (Ketamine Hydrochloride)
Ketamine is a general anesthetic used in human and veterinary medicine. It is most commonly
used for veterinary purposes.
The effects of Ketamine:
Ketamine is an anesthetic. Effects occur within 15-20 minutes after ingestion. The
hallucinatory effects last approximately one hour or less but senses, judgment and coordination
may be affected for up to 24 hours. Ketamine can cause delirium, hallucinations, long-term memory and cognitive difficulties, respiratory depression, heart rate abnormalities and a withdrawal
syndrome. Higher doses produce an effect known as a "K-hole", which is described as an out-of-body experience. When in the emergent state, time passes very slowly. In high doses, simple tasks such as dialing a phone are impossible. Balance is difficult, walking requires extreme thought and vision becomes blurred. When combined with alcohol, Ketamine can be fatal.
Like Rohypnol and GHB, Ketamine can cause partial or complete amnesia meaning that you may not
be able to remember anything you did or anything that was done to you while under the influence
of the drug.
What does Ketamine look like?
Ketamine is produced and distributed in clear liquid form that is available as an injectable
prescription drug. It can also be administered orally in the form of white or off-white powder
that can be snorted, smoked or swallowed. It is odorless, colorless and tasteless. It is sold
per dosage unit and cost ranges from $20-25.
Street names for Ketamine: K, Special K, Vitamin K, Black Hole, Bump, Jet, K-Hole,
Kit Kat, Psychedelic Heroin, Purple.
Protecting Yourself from Alcohol/Drug Facilitated Rape | top
- Stay with friends and watch out for each other.
- Take notice if someone appears to be intoxicated at a level disproportionate to
the amount of alcohol they have consumed.
- Designate a sober friend to watch out for you and your friends and make sure you
periodically check up on each other.
- Call 911 if someone passes out and is difficult to wake up, seems to be having
difficulty breathing, is behaving in an uncharacteristic way, or gets sick after drinking
a beverage.
- Be cautious about those from whom you accept drinks.
- Never leave with someone you just met, and don't let a friend leave with someone she
just met.
- Watch your drink.
- Prepare your own drinks when possible.
- Don't share drinks.
- Don't drink from a container that is being passed around.
- Don't drink from a punch bowl.
- Only drink beverages that you open yourself.
- Bring your own drinks.
- Don't leave your drink unattended; discard unattended drinks.
- If you see or hear that someone is dosing a drink or a punch bowl, take action.
Confront the person, warn others, discard the drink.
If You are a Victim of Sexual Violence | top
These guidelines are for 72-120 hours after an incident occurs.
- Go to a safe place.
- Call a friend, family member or someone else you trust to be with you.
- If you would like to speak with a counselor, the Sexual Assault Center staffs
volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The number is 706-353-1912. All calls are
confidential.
- We encourage you to seek medical care. You can receive care at a hospital
emergency department or at the Sexual Assault Center. Your medical care provider
should provide you with options for dealing with the risk of contracting a sexually
transmitted infection (STI) and pregnancy. (Please see the
Sexual Health
pages for more information about STIs and
emergency contraception.)
If you believe that you were given a predatory drug, request that a urine sample be taken.
- If you want to report the violence: On-campus contact the UGA police at 706-542-2200;
Off-campus contact the Athens-Clarke County police at 911.
- If you want to report the violence or you think you will want to report the violence,
preserve physical evidence. Do not shower, bathe, douche, or brush your teeth. Save all
clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault. Do not disturb anything in the area
where the assault occurred. Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstances
of the assault, including a description of the assailant.
- Decide if you want notify campus officials, file a police report, and/or file a complaint
with University Judiciary.
- Decide if you want to contact your parents.
We encourage you to seek professional counseling, information, or legal assistance to help you
deal with the consequences of the assault.
If a Friend is a Victim of Sexual Violence | top
Be available.
If the friend has come to you, it's because s/he trusts you and needs your
support. If your friend does not come to you, but you sense that s/he may
have experienced violence, approach your friend gently to express your concern.
Say something like, "I'm concerned because…" Don't ignore
the problem; it will not go away, and talking can be an important step in
improving the situation. If s/he is not ready to talk, be patient and ask
again a few days later.
Be attentive.
Listen respectfully and believe what s/he tells you. Realize your friend
is taking a risk by sharing her/his experience with you. Avoid judging,
blaming and interrogating. Let your friend know that you care and want to
help. Be sure you protect your friend's privacy and confidentiality and
honor her/his trust. Do not share what you've heard with anyone without permission.
Assure your friend.
Make sure s/he knows the violence is not her/his fault, that s/he is not
alone, and that help is available. Remind them of these things frequently.
Be your friend's advocate.
Review the information in the If You are a Victim of Sexual
Violence section on medical care, reporting to police or campus officials
and counseling. Encourage your friend to decide what to do. Project Safe
and the Sexual Assault Center have 24-hour a day, confidential hotlines
that provide support and information about these decisions.
Assist your friend.
Help your friend follow through with the decisions s/he makes. This may
mean accompanying your friend to the hospital or to the police, or giving your
friend a place to stay for a few nights.
Please visit The Office for Violence Prevention for more information.
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