What is date rape?

Date rape is also known as ‘acquaintance rape’. Date rape is when the victim is sexually assaulted by a new acquaintance or stranger. The victim might not be dating the person committing the crime, in fact he may be someone the victim just knew or a total stranger.

How does this happen?

Substances are often associated with date rapes. The date rape-drugs are drugs used in assisting the sexual assault. The drugs commonly associated with date rape are Rohypnol, Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Ketamin and Alcohol.

These drugs have some common features. It is odorless, colorless and the onset of the action is fast.It is easily mixed to your drink without your knowledge as it caused no change in color or taste of the drink. GHB has a salty taste but the taste disappear when mixed with beverages. These drugs actvery fast after ingestion, have sedative,hypnotic,dissociative, amnesiceffects, and it may cause you to lose consciousness or black out. The person or persons involved with slipping this drug to your drink can easily take advantage while you passed out. You may have lack of memory of what happens. (Table 1)

These date rape drugs can have other serious effects if it is added to alcohol, taken with other sedative drugs like medications to help you calm or help you sleep, or is taken in high-dose. You may develop respiratory depression, coma or death can even occur.

Table 1

Name of substance	Other street names	How it looks like	Effect
Alcohol	There are many types or alcohol drinks : Beer Wine Brandy Vodka Gin Scotch Bourbon		You will be encouraged to drink enough to lose inhibition and consciousness. In this situation you will be unable to resist physical or emotional pressure to have sex. When you drink too much alcohol it makes you: Harder to think Harder to set limit and make good decision Have poor judgement Harder to fight back if sexually assaulted Black out Loss of memory
Rohypnol ( Fluni	‘Roofie’ ‘Mind Eraser’ ‘Forget pill’ ‘Ruffies’ ‘Trip and fall’	Comes as a pill that dissolves in liquids. May be oval or round and usually white but may be green or grey in colour. May change the colour of the drinks but might be hard to see if it is mixed in dark coloured drinks like cola, beer or in a dark environment. The pills may be ground up into a powder.	The effects can be seen within 30 minutes last for hours. You will feel and act as you were drunk You will have problem standing Your speech might be slurred You will have confusion You will have problems with your vision You may pass out ( black out) You could not remember what happened while being drugged You will be nauseated and have stomach problem
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) trazepam)	‘G’ ‘Easy lay’ ‘Liquid X’ ‘Liquid ecstacy’	A liquid with no odor or color, white powder and pill. Invisible when dissolved with water, odorless and has a salty taste. The taste can be masked when added to other beverages like soft drink, liquor or beer.	Within 15 minutes the effects can be seen. A small amount can give big effects. It will cause: dizziness drowsiness a dream like state loss of consciousness (black out) have problem with vision loss memory of what had happened while drugged nausea, vomiting tremors and sweating slow heart rate and problem in breathing seizure and coma.
Ketamin	‘K’ ‘Kit Kat’ ‘Special K’	Liquid or white powder form.	The effect is very fast and includes: You might know what is happening to you but you are unable to move It causes memory problem and you might not be able to remember what happened Distorted perceptions of sight and sound Hallucination (hearing or seeing things which do not actually exist) Lost sense of time and identity Slurred speech Vomiting Breathing problem and seizures Out of body experiences Dream-like feeling Feeling out of control

Consequences of date rape

Although being raped on its own is a horrible experience, date rape also has other consequences which are just as bad or worst.

• You may have prolonged emotional disturbances.
• Your schooling or work might be disrupted
• You will be involved in legal issues
• You might end up with sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B

Is it my fault that I am raped?

No. Although you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no body can force you to have sex or assault you sexually. Sex without mutual consent or if you are under 16 years old, is rape and rape is a crime. Date rape is a crime.

What can I do?

Protect yourself

Prevention is always better than cure. You can only prevent yourself from being assaulted by knowing where, how, when and why it happen.

• Never be alone with someone you just knew.
• Go out in groups and watch out for each other
• Avoid alcohol and drugs and go out with friends who don’t drink.
• Know what you want in a relationship.
• Don’t subject yourself to peer pressure and do things you don’t want to do.
• Avoid going to secluded places alone with your partner. This includes your room or your partner’s.
• Never accept drink from a stranger or someone you just knew.
• Insist on opening your own drink.
• Avoid taking drinks from a common bowl.
• Never leave your drink unattended.
• If you feel uncomfortable with someone or the situation you are in, trust your instinct and leave the place or situation you have engaged. If necessary call for help.
• If you don’t drink or take drugs but you start to feel ‘drunk’ or unwell, quickly call for help.
• If you see another person who is at risk of being a victim, alert others or call for help.
• Before going on a date, always inform your family or trusted friend your whereabout.

I am raped, what should I do?

Unfortunately date rape still happens. If you are a victim always remember it is not your fault. Here are some things that you can do when you realized you have been raped

• Call a friend, family member or someone you trust and feel safe with. Tell them what had happened.
• If you are injured, seek help from the emergency unit in hospitals, health centres or clinics. These places usually have trained personnel, special networking to deal with this problems and they should be able to help you.
• If you want to report, call the police immediately. Don’t change clothes or wash yourself. Preserve all the evidence, and do not clear up the place where it happened.
• If you are not sure what to do, contact the crisis centre. Usually the hospitals have a crisis centre in the emergency department. They have physician, counselor and social worker to help you. You can get information, support and ask them what to do.

More importantly you must be in control of yourself all the time. By being in control you clearly know what you want and set your limit and boundaries.