Date Rape Drug - Rohypnol
- reader submission
               

We were at Cargo for Aphrodite, having a great time (big ups Sickboy) on a Friday night. A very good female friend was with us but left suddenly without telling us, which is unlike her. She had stopped dancing because she was tired but friends who saw her about 20 minutes later, out of Cargo, said she was very obviously 'happy' and extremely energetic. We know she had been chatting to a guy who offered her a drink. The after effects indicate, from what happened, that he drugged it.

She had a hell of a night, starting with a very quick boost of high energy, then disorientation with a serious amount of memory blanks, inability to move/speak and vomiting. The guy who took her from Cargo took her to a love motel. She knew she didn't want to be there and was still able to move so she ran. She got into a taxi, but then feeling disoriented she tried to get the taxi to stop but the driver wouldn't.

She recollects being chased by the taxi driver who got her back to the taxi. He put her into the back seat and got on top of her and sexually assaulted her. At this stage she was having problems moving but did vomit, both on him and his taxi, so he threw her out, in the middle of nowhere and drove off. We know the police picked her up, when or where we don't know. She recalls being put into a shower, fully dressed, by them. Maybe she'd fallen unconsciousness and needed reviving, we don't know.

She left Cargo at 2.30am, arrived home at 10am yet can only remember small bits of the night. She can't remember the conversation we had at 10am when she finally made it home. Over the weekend we've spent a lot of time trying to piece together this puzzle. The odd thing was the lack of alcohol hangover the following day and the huge memory blanks.

Scarily almost all of the people that have heard this have replied with "Yeah, so and so was assaulted recently by a taxi driver.." or" I've heard about assaults happening a lot recently". The amount of taxi-related incidences seem to be increasing almost by the weekend.

Added to that the very strong possibility of date rape drugs and it's worse. This is not a naive country girl, she's a strong, focused, on-to it woman and not easily pushed around. Fortunately she will be able to handle this (and vomited on the taxi driver) but we shouldn't have to be exposed to this kind of risk and assault.

PLEASE keep an eye out for your friends, girlfriends, wives, sisters and just women in general. The party scene is still growing here and the last thing we need is arseholes damaging not only the woman here but the reputation of the party scene as well.

Women - Keep an eye on your drink; don't leave it with someone you don't know well or accept them from strangers unless you see him buy it and don't lose sight of it. This is a drug that affects you within 30 minutes. If you meet that hot guy stay with your friends until you know more about him. Taxi drivers? If possible share a taxi and split the costs, it's better for the environment and safer all round.

Guys, and party promoters, please keep an eye out for guys preying on women sitting by themselves. This guy kept clear of both my partner/boyfriend and I. It was obvious we were with her and he deliberately avoided us. He knew what he was doing.

               
               
Details of Rohypnol
 

Rohypnol intoxication is generally associated with impaired judgment and impaired motor skills and can make a victim unable to resist a sexual attack. The combination of alcohol and Rohypnol is also particularly hazardous because together, their effects on memory and judgment are greater than the effects resulting from either taken alone. Effects begin within thirty minutes, peak within two hours, and can persist for up to eight hours. It is commonly reported that persons who become intoxicated on a combination of alcohol and flunitrazepam have "blackouts" lasting eight to twenty-four hours following ingestion. Disinhibition (losing your social inhibitions) is another widely reported effect of Rohypnol, when taken alone or in combination with alcohol. Adverse effects of Rohypnol use include, decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances and urinary retention.

Rohypnol has been associated with date rape, and has also been called the "Forget Pill," "Trip-and-Fall," and "Mind-Erasers." In combination with alcohol, it can induce a blackout with memory loss and a decrease in resistance. Girls and women around the country (the US) have reported being raped after being involuntarily sedated with Rohypnol, which was often slipped into their drink by an attacker. The drug has no taste or odor so the victims don't realize what is happening. About ten minutes after ingesting the drug, the woman may feel dizzy and disoriented, simultaneously too hot and too cold, or nauseated. She may experience difficulty speaking and moving, and then pass out. Such victims have no memories of what happened while under the drug's influence.

               
               
               
Copyright 1999-2004 1stopKorea