Regina Women

What should I do if I think I've been drugged and assaulted?

If you or a friend feel dizzy, confused or have other unexplained symptoms after drinking a beverage, get to a safe place immediately by calling a family member, friend, the police or 911. If you think you have been drugged go IMMEDIATELY to the hospital emergency room.
If you think you have been drugged and sexually assaulted, follow step 1 and go directly to the hospital. Call the crisis line for information and support.
Determine whether or not you want to report the incident to the police. If there is any chance you do want to report the incident, you should not shower, bathe, douche, change clothes or straighten up the area until medical and legal evidence has been collected, as these actions will destroy evidence.
If you want to report the incident, you can call the police before going to the hospital to have the medical evidence collected or the police can be contacted from the hospital. Once at the hospital, request a test as quickly as possible to detect the presence of sedating substances. Chances of getting proof are best when the sample is obtained soon after the substance has been taken. Every hour matters.
Try to keep a sample of the beverage for analysis.

How can I reduce the risk?

Do not leave beverages unattended at parties or bars.
Do not take beverages, including alcohol, from someone your do not know well and trust.
At a bar or club, accept drinks only from the bartender or server.
At parties, do not accept open-container drinks from anyone.
Be alert to the behaviour of friends, and ask them to watch out for you. Anyone extremely intoxicated after consuming only a small mount of alcohol may be in danger.

What are the physical effects?

There are several telltale signs that an individual may be under the influence of a sedating substance. Possible effects include impaired judgment, loss if inhibition, dizziness and confusion. If an individual appears extremely intoxicated after drinking a non-alcoholic beverage, or only a small amount of alcohol, they may have unknowingly ingested one of a number of substances. Sedating substances can temporarily affect a person's ability to remain awake and conscious. Someone who has been sedated may experience sudden or unexplained drowsiness and have trouble with motor co-ordination.

Drug Assisted Assault

Recently, there have been a number of reports of sexual assault in which drugs or other substances have been slipped into people's drinks. The number of sexual assaults in which drugs are used seems to be on the increase.

Over the decades, alcohol and substances such as chloral hydrate or "Mickey Finns" have been misused to involuntarily sedate individual for sexual assault. In the past several years, there have been reports in which other substance have been identified, including gamma hydroxybutrate (GHB), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), triazolam (Halcion, scopolamine. burundaga and ketamine. Recent laboratory tests on the urine of survivors of substance-related sexual assault showed traces of a even greater number of substances, including alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, GHB, marijuana and opiates. These drugs may come in any form, including powder, pill, tablet and liquid.

Sedating drugs, when criminally misused often are referred to by a number of street names, of which you should be aware. These include Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Grievous Bodily Harm, Easy Lay for GHB, and Special K for ketamine. Common street names of Rohypnol include Roofies, Roachies, La Rocha and the forget pill.