Sexing the sherry

While Rohypnol and GHB are widely publicised for their links with Drug- Facilitated Sexual Assault, incidences are in fact most commonly exacerbated by alcohol, writes Andrew Burnet.

oday. deliberate drugging

ol‘ten plays a part in sexual

assault: and perpetrators sometimes use illegal or prescription drugs to increase the intoxicating el‘l‘ects ol' alcohol.

L'nl'ortunately. this shamelul practice tnay be on the rise: a sury'ey carried otit by the (iimn/iuu newspaper and ('hanncl 4‘s Dis/mains programtne in 2003-04 l'ound that one in l'our women belieyed their drinks had been spiked at some point. Drug- l'acilitated sexual assault (DFSA) recently l'eatured in a storyline ol the (‘hanncl 4 soap l/n/ly‘uuky. lt was also the subject ol‘ ()peration Matisse. a l3-month study carried out by six linglish police l‘orces. whose results were published last month.

This unpleasant social trend seems unlikely to disappear. so with the patty season underway it‘s important to guard against it. The good news is that the police are alert to the problem

and more sympathetic than their reputation might suggest. ‘The tact is that some responses [to sexual assault] in the past hayen‘t been what they should haye been] admits Detectiye Superintendent (iillian Wood. national drugs co-ordinator tor the Scottish ('rime l)nig linl‘orcement Agency. 'But as a direct consequence ol‘ that. there has been work to improy'e the response. There is now a spccil'ic section deyoted to drug- assisted sexual assault within the guidance issued nationally to police.’

Anyone who reports drugging. suspected dntgging ot' l)l"S:\ to police can now expect to be taken seriously. ‘l’eople must l‘eel conlident to come forward and be assured that they will get a sensitiy'e and sympathetic seryice.’ \Vood say s. She also points

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out that stall in ptibs and clubs are generally responsiy'e too. 'lt‘s in the interests ol‘ licensees and bar stall~ to be doing whateycr they can to protect their customers.~ she say s. "l'hey want to be rttnning a respectable premises and attracting a good client base.‘

One important point conlirmed by ()peration .\latisse is that the media tren/y oyer so—called date— rape’ drugs such as Roliypnol and

ANYONE WHO REPORTS DFSA TO POLICE CAN NOW EXPECT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

gammahydroxybtttrate t(illl%) has probably exaggerated the role played by illegal and prescription drugs. By l'ar the most commonly tised drug in l)l’S:\ is alcohol.

That said. other drugs may in some cases haye been tised but ttot detected. Iltlst because it‘s not there

when we're doing the analysis doesn‘t mean it hasn‘t been there.’

explains Wood. ‘lior a number ol~

reasons it cottld be eight or I: hours bel‘ore someone is coming l‘orward to report an incident by which time. depending on the substance tised. it might well ltaye disappeared.‘

But how can the law pt‘oy‘ide protection against alcohol‘.’ It's not illegal to btty someone a drink is it‘.’ Well actually. it is. it. you're trying to get them legless. :\ crime is committed w hen alcohol is 'l‘eloniously administered with intent to produce stupel‘action. 'l'here need be no lurther intent. aitd it is not necessary that any injury to the person is cilllsctl.‘

litlls'lllg‘ ol‘ substances. some people may be reluctant to report drugging tor l'ear ol‘ testing positiye l‘or recreational drugs. In l'act. ()peration .\latis.se lound that nearly hall ol~ \ictims had consumed illegal drugs; how ey er. \Vood ol‘l‘crs reassurance to people in this situation.

'Being under the inllucnce ol' any drug exert a class A drug isn't in

itsell‘ a crime.‘ she says. ‘.’\nd in a situation like this. the Victim’s patticipation in taking drugs is not the locus ol‘ any iny'estigation. The first priority would be the tnedical w ellbeing ol‘ the person. The second priority is to gather ey'idence lrom whateyer source. including the \‘ictimf

This can ol~ course be difficult. ()l'ten. the \ictim's memory of an assault will be ha/y or non-existent. ‘lt's dil'licult l'or people to come l'orward and report any kind ol~ sexual ol‘l’ence.‘ \Vood ackntiw'ledges. ‘but any ol’ those dil'liculties are compounded by not being able to remember w hat's happened.’ lloweycr. in most cases there is other ey'idence. such as ('("lV lootage. witnesses inclttding l‘riends and stall. or telephone records.

.'\.\ with most personal sal'ety issues. the licst \ igilance. 'll’ anyone on a night otit were to obserye someone spiking someone clsc's drink. or ll. they l‘eel unwell or unusually intoxicated alter just a cottple ol‘ drinks. they

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