How Do You Know if Youve Been Roofied

Rape is a serious criminal act, with the potential for severe and lasting repercussions on the victim'southward life. Rape involves sexually taking advantage of some other person without their consent, and this includes having sex with a person who is incoherent or unconscious. Some perpetrators attempt to facilitate their assault past using substances that incapacitate their victims to varying degrees.

"Date rape" is a term that refers to a person forcing someone that they are socially, romantically, or casually involved with to have sex without consent. Often, this type of rape is conceptualized as a predator outset drugging the victim and, side by side, sexually assaulting them. While this is sometimes the case, date rape more often involves the perpetrator taking reward of their victim's chosen insobriety. Perhaps they were out celebrating with friends and had a trivial as well much to drink, or unknowingly mixed sure drugs, rendering themselves incapacitated. In either scenario, the rapist takes advantage of this too-intoxicated state and forever alters the victim'due south life.

Regardless of whether the victim chose to ingest a substance or they were unknowingly drugged, it is vital to call up that rape is never the victim'southward fault. Consent must be clear, and a lack of a stated "no" or "terminate" does non plant consent. A person who is non sober cannot consent to sex!

Nearly half of all sexual assaults involve booze ^{1, 2, 3}, but prevalence estimates for other sedative substances are not well known due to the shorter period of time that these drugs remain in the trunk. Some substances that are used to incapacitate people are well-known, such as Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), GHB, and ketamine, while others are not every bit widely recognized (clonazepam, etizolam, and other new substances). It is important to know the potential effects that these substances can have in order to recognize a risky situation and exit.

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The Dangers You Know

Some substances used for date rape are relatively well-known. These include:

• Rohypnol ("roofies").
• Ketamine ("special K").
• Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate ("GHB").

These drugs all accept similar depressant effects, but each i volition affect a person a petty differently, especially when combined with booze, which is commonly how these drugs are given to a victim (eastward.chiliad., slipped into a drinkable).

Rohypnol

Rohypnol (generic proper noun: flunitrazepam) is frequently referred to by street names such equally:

• Roofies.
• The Forget Pill.
• Circles.
• La Rocha.

Rohypnol is a powerful benzodiazepine that is prescribed in certain countries to care for insomnia ⁴. In the US, even so, this drug is illegal due to its powerful effects and reputation every bit a date rape drug.

Rohypnol pills are tasteless, odorless, and colorless ^{iv, 5} and easily dissolve in liquid, making it piece of cake for perpetrators to discreetly incapacitate potential victims. Newer versions of the drug accept a blue center that can turn a light-colored drink bluish, but generic versions may all the same be colorless in liquids, making them dangerously disguisable.

Taken alone, Rohypnol produces feelings of ^iv:

• Sedation.
• Lessened anxiety.
• Eased muscle tension.

Effects can begin as early as 30 minutes after ingestion, peaking within two hours ^v. Even a dose every bit depression as 1 mg can exert its effects for upwardly to 8 hours ⁵.

When consumed with booze, Rohypnol'south effects are enhanced to unsafe levels. Both substances have sedative effects that compound when taken together. Signs of being roofied includeextreme drowsiness and even amnesia, meaning the person will not remember what happened during the fourth dimension they were under the influence, depending on the corporeality consumed ⁴.

Ketamine

Ketamine is apotent dissociative anesthetic medication with some hallucinogenic effects ⁶. It can be obtained in clear liquid and white pulverisation class, both of which mix easily with drinks, though they both accept an extreme bitter gustation.

The pulverization may fifty-fifty be cut with other powder substances such every bit cocaine, MDMA, or amphetamine for snorting and may exist added to joints or cigarettes to drug a person without their knowledge. Ketamine is often referred to by the following names:

• Special K.
• Vitamin K.
• Kitty.
• Kit Kat.
• Cat Valium.

Ketamine's effects come on quickly, unremarkably felt inside i-30 minutes of ingestion and lasting about an hour ^vii. Depending on the dose, effects may range from sedation and pain relief to amnesia and dissociation, wherein the person feels removed from or out of command of her own body ^six.

These strong furnishings contribute to its involvement in date rape, as higher doses of ketamine may return a person unconscious or unable to move.

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB)

GHB is short for gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, a central nervous organization (CNS) depressant. Xyrem (sodium oxybate) – a prescription drug used to care for a condition known as cataplexy, as well every bit to manage the excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy – is a branded, pharmaceutical form of GHB.

GHB commonly goes by the post-obit names:

• Yard.
• Liquid 10.
• Broth.
• Scoop.

GHB is produced naturally in the trunk in small-scale amounts, merely it tin also be synthesized in a lab ⁸. Manmade GHB is normally found online and on the streets and is regularly adulterated with various caustic chemicals used at some point during the process of its illicit product, including sodium hydroxide (e.1000., lye – establish in some bleed cleaners). GHB is sought out by recreational users for its CNS depressant effects (i.eastward., a sedative, relaxing high that tin can leave a person drowsy, confused, and amnesic ^eight.)

GHB is institute in both a pulverisation and liquid form, and both dissolve easily in liquid. It is colorless, odorless, and has a slight salty sense of taste that can be masked easily past strong flavors ⁸. Effects tin can come on inside 10 to 20 minutes, lasting upwardly to 4 hours ⁹. When combined with alcohol, the depressant furnishings are enhanced, leading to extreme sedation and retentiveness bug, ultimately leaving a person vulnerable to assail.

What About Alcohol?

Booze is a drug that has widespread, prevalent use. Many people enjoy its inhibition-lowering furnishings, just unfortunately, some people use it to take advantage of others. Almost one-half of all sexual assaults involve alcohol consumption past either the rapist or the victim ^{1, 2, iii}, but this is not an alibi.

Remember, an intoxicated person cannot consent to sex.

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Lesser-Known Dangers

Some substances that predators use are not as widely recognized. Etizolam, Clonazepam, and other inquiry chemicals take been increasingly found in cases of rape.

Etizolam

Etizolam (aka "etizzy") is a tasteless medication related to benzodiazepines that is non canonical for medical utilize in the US. The drug can exist obtained in both pill and pulverisation form, and it produces depressant effects including ¹⁰:

• Sedation.
• Muscle relaxation.
• Memory loss.

In animal studies it has been institute to exist upwardly to 10 times more than potent than Valium ¹⁰. Similar to "roofies," ketamine, and GHB, etizolam'southward effects are enhanced when combined with booze, leading to its growing reputation as a date rape drug.

Clonazepam

Clonazepam (merchandise name: Klonopin) is a benzodiazepine medication, similar to Rohypnol. It is commonly referred to by the names "KPin" or "Pin").

Clonazepam dissolves very chop-chop in liquid, and has little to no taste—in fact, information technology might even gustation slightly sweet, which can be hands masked by other strong flavors. Effects include:

• Extreme drowsiness.
• Bug with retentivity.
• Blurred vision.
• Loss of coordination.

All of the furnishings listed above are heightened by co-consumption with booze, making it a dangerous substance in the hands of a would-be rapist ^xi.

"Research Chemicals"

Many substances with similar effects to these date rape drugs are existence developed every day. These drugs, sometimes labeled "research chemicals," are constantly evolving and changing formulations to escape regulation.

These drugs vary widely in formulation but most volition produce defoliation, disorientation, and retention problems in the drugged individual.

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Staying Condom

Rape is never the victim's fault—the error lies solely with the perpetrator. All the same, there are some precautions y'all can take that may help you stay safe and avert beingness drugged:

• Be enlightened of the people in the room. This includes existence aware of other potential victims and anyone who appears incoherent or unaware of her surroundings. If anyone seems suspicious or predatory, steer clear and pay attending to how close they get to people and drinks. If you find yourself feeling suddenly and severely intoxicated, ask for help from a friend in getting dwelling house safely. Likewise, offer help to those who appear to exist severely intoxicated and at-risk.
• Proceed runway of what substances you and others are using. Along similar lines, avoid taking substances (including drinks) from a person that you do non know. While we practice not endorse the illicit use of recreational drugs, if y'all do detect yourself in a situation where drugs accept been obtained from someone you don't k now, you may consider using a testing kit to cheque the ingredients and ensure that they aren't lying about what they're giving you. Certain substance combinations can be especially debilitating, such every bit benzodiazepines and booze, cocaine and ketamine, and many other drug blends with interactive effects. While the all-time prevention method is non to take any drugs, using a testing kit can help y'all avert unsafe drug mixtures and adulterated substances.
• Always watch your drink! It tin can be dangerously easy for a predator to sideslip a drug into someone else'due south drink—it only takes i moment of distraction. Even though it can exist inconvenient, keeping your drink in paw or in sight is the best way to ensure that nothing goes into it. In add-on, never take a drinkable from a stranger unless you watched it exist prepared and brought to you. If someone offers to buy you a drink and you have, go with them to the bar and grab it yourself rather than trust them to bring information technology back to you.

Credit: JoeySalads

If you see a person in a dangerous state of affairs, especially if you see someone beingness drugged, taken advantage of, or assaulted, footstep in and help them. This can include taking immediate action or even calling for aid from police and others nearby. Everyone has to work together to foreclose rape, and looking out for one another is the best style to foster a network of safety.

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What to Practise if You Think You've Been Drugged

First take a moment to remind yourself that no affair what happened, information technology is non your fault.

If you lot are out on the town and suddenly feel significantly more intoxicated than you lot believe y'all should—especially if you've been hanging around or talking to a new person—you may want to take cautionary steps to ensure your ain safety. If y'all know that something is not right, tell someone—your friends, the bartender, a bouncer—or fifty-fifty just call a cab to take you lot dwelling. If you've been drugged, you need to go to a safe identify as before long as possible or endeavor to brand sure someone is looking out for you.

If you do not call back what happened the night earlier and y'all suspect that someone may have raped you, first take a moment to remind yourself that no thing what happened, it is not your mistake.

Fuzzy retention of the night before and extreme hangover symptoms may indicate that yous were drugged. Here are some things that you lot can ask yourself to give you lot a better idea of whether or not yous were drugged:

• Do I experience like something happened but I can't remember?
• Are there any marks on my torso that might bespeak sexual assail such every bit bruises?
• Are my apparel disheveled?
• Does it seem like I was feeling stronger effects than would be expected?
• Was there anyone that gave me an odd or uncomfortable feeling?

A victim of drugged rape may not be aware of what happened until many hours afterwards ¹². Because many of these drugs process through the body inside this timeframe, at that place may be no way of knowing that drugs were involved. Regardless of whether the substance is cleared from the body or not, it is vital to go intendance correct away by going to a hospital or rape crunch middle. If you can, accept a trusted friend or family fellow member drive you lot and bring a alter of clothes to the hospital/center considering they will take the ones that you lot woke up in for bear witness.

In guild to preserve every bit much potential evidence as possible, practice non urinate, shower, wash your hands, castor your teeth, eat, or beverage earlier you go to a hospital or crisis center. This menstruum of fourth dimension is going to be hard, as the doctors accept to brand certain to get all possible show they can.

From the hospital or crisis center, call the constabulary. They will have you run through your retentivity of what happened, and may want to collect farther evidence from the expanse where you believe the set on happened—even a drinking glass or bodily fluids on the bed can assistance further the investigation. Be sure to tell the police everything you lot tin can, remembering that zippo you did justifies sexual attack.

Once you are out of the hospital, seek comforting support. Counseling and therapy are invaluable resources for those coping with sexual set on. Calling a crunch center or hotline can help you connect with someone who knows how to aid victims of rape cope with all the emotions and changes that come from such an experience. The National Sexual Attack Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE is a great resource for those recovering from sexual assault.

Healing yourself after rape is never like shooting fish in a barrel, but taking all possible steps to ensure that your rapist is caught and convicted and that you have the love, back up, and skills preparation that you lot need will aid y'all to heal.

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CHECK YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ADDICTION Handling

Find out if your insurance coverage includes habit rehab and handling by visiting the links beneath:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Humana
• Aetna
•  Kaiser Permanente

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Source: https://drugabuse.com/drugs/date-rape-drugs/

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