Date Rape Drugs on Campus

The most popular use of date rape drugs to incapacitate women so that they are completely helpless. The drugs start to work almost immediately: first the victim will have trouble breathing, then they will start to lose control over their own body, and the end result is usually a total blackout. When the victim wakes up, they will very likely not have any memory at all of what happened to them.

Perhaps the primary reasons why date rape drugs are so commonly used is that they are small, easy to conceal and very difficult to detect. They are odorless, and generally have no taste.

There are three primary drugs that predators use:

1. Flunitrazepam (also known as a roofie)
   
2. GHB  (also most commonly known a “G”)
   
3. Ketamnine (commonly known as Special "K")

Each one is available as a small pill, liquid or powder in that will completely dissolve in any liquid, so it easy to slip one into a drink. This happens to many women who are out on a date with an acquaintance they don't know very well. The man offers to purchase beverages, sneaks a drug into one glass, and soon after makes a hasty exit claiming he must take his date home because she has had too much to drink.  Once the victim has completely succumbed to the effects of the drug, she will not be able to defend herself or object to unwanted advances.

The best way to stay safe is to avoid being drugged at all and these 2 tips can save you.

1. When you are out with someone you do not know well, be wary of having him pick up a drink for you.
2. Watch the bartender make your beverage, and be sure no one else touches it before you do. Statistics have shown that most women are given drugs by someone they thought they knew well enough to trust, so be aware!

If You Think You’ve Been Drugged

It can be extremely difficult to realize that you have swallowed a date rape drug until it is too late. One of the first signs to look for is a feeling of being very drunk when you have not had much alcohol. Anytime you feel something is wrong, it is essential to act quickly. If you believe you may have been drugged, look for help immediately. Turn to a close friend, find a campus security officer or ask the bartender for assistance if no one else is available. Get away as quickly and safely as you can, and seek out medical attention as soon as possible. Do not go home with anyone you suspect has put something in your drink. It is better to risk being a little rude and stay safe than to be alone with someone who might have drugged you.

The Aftermath

Being drugged can be a very difficult thing to deal with physically and emotionally. Following an incident of date rape, a woman should receive immediate medical attention.

As soon as you are able to, explain to campus security what has happened so that they may inform the police. This can lead to many difficult questions for you to answer, but putting a drug into someone's drink is a serious offense. The person who did it must face the consequences. Keep in mind that doing and saying nothing will leave this person free to perpetrate this crime with someone else.

The last thing to mention here but certainly not least is to remember that in addition to altering authorities, visit your college campus crisis center (most colleges and universities have them) with therapists who can provide counseling.