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"Date rape", often referred to as “acquaintance rape”, is an assault or attempted assault by usually a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent.^[1][2]

Contents 1 Drug-facilitated date rape 2 Laws 2.1 United States 3 Statistics 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Drug-facilitated date rape

Drug-facilitated date rape is the use of drugs to assist the attacker in a rape. The drug can be any substance that is physical or mind altering. The phenomenon is not new. Instances of Drug facilitated sexual assault have been found in the Bible.^[3]

The most common date rape drugs are alcohol, Rohypnol, and Ketamine,^{[citation needed]} but there a number of other date rape drugs on the market. Most date rape drugs are virtually undetectable, as they are colorless, odorless, and usually tasteless. The newest forms of Rohypnol turn clear liquids blue and dark liquids cloudy, so that it is less discreet. Common side effects of the drugs are relaxation, drowsiness, loss of muscle control, nausea, blackout, coma, and sometimes death. They also have been known to lower blood pressure, cause stomach problems, confusion, amnesia, and hallucinations.

These drugs are illegal in the United States, and possession is punishable by law. Many of these drugs are manufactured legally in Latin America and Europe. The effects of the drugs mimic alcohol intoxication, so the victim may not notice that (s)he was drugged. This is dangerous because the drugs can be fatal when mixed with alcohol. Early detection is key in reporting drug-facilitated date rapes because the drugs leave the system within 12 to 72 hours.

Rohypnol^[4] (trade name for Flunitrazepam), is commonly known as a “club drug” because it is usually used in dance clubs and raves. Street names include: Circles, Forget Pill, LA Rochas, Lunch Money, Mexican Valium, Mind Erasers, Roach, Roopies, Roofies, R-2, Roches Dos, Rope, Rophies, Stupifi, Shays, etc.^[1][5]

Ketamine^[6] is commonly known as: Black Hole, Bump, Cat Valium, Green, Jet, K, Kit Kat, Psychedelic heroin, Purple, Special K, Super Acid, Keller, Super C, etc.^[5][7]

Alcohol is the most common date rape drug because it inhibits an individual’s ability to detect risky situations, such as rape.

[edit] Laws

[edit] United States

In 1996, President Clinton signed the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act. This act gives harsh penalties for the use of the drug called Rohypnol. Four years later, the president signed another legislation banning GHB.

People who use date rape drugs have a risk of up to an additional 20 years in prison. Any possession of Rohypnol, even if there is no intent of using it, has a sentence of up to three years in prison. Every state has laws pertaining to rape.^[8][9][10]

[edit] Statistics

73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger. 38% of rapes involve a friend or acquaintance. ^[11]

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• National Clearinghouse on Marital and Date Rape

[edit] External links

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