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The effects and symptoms of date rape drugs

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Not many life experiences are as devastating as being sexually assaulted. It becomes even more troubling when the act is perpetrated by someone you know, or thought you knew. Unfortunately, thousands of date rape cases are reported each year. 

At the very basic, date rape is a non-consensual sexual encounter with an individual with whom you went on a date. One of the most common elements of date rape is the use of drugs. But how do you prove that someone used date rape drugs on you?

Understand date drugs

Generally, any drug that results in sedation and loss of consciousness can be a date rape drug. And this includes opioids like prescription pain medications, heroin and alcohol. Some of the most commonly used drugs for this form of sexual assault include Rohypnol, ketamine and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid). These drugs are relatively colorless, odorless and tasteless, making them the ideal choice for perpetrators intending on using them to spike the victim’s drink without notice. 

So how do date rape drugs work?

All date rape drugs achieve a common goal – to make the victim vulnerable to assault. Here are some of the negative consequences of date rape drugs to the victim:

  • Reducing the victim’s situational and threat awareness
  • Reducing the victim’s ability to fight off or run away from an assault
  • Incapacitating the victim 
  • Creating vulnerability that would otherwise not be present if the victim were sober

Protecting your rights

No one has a right to trick or compel you to perform a sexual act. If you are a victim of any form of sexual assault, including date rape, there is help out there. Learning more about Colorado sexual assault laws can help you pursue justice if you are sexually assaulted on a date. 

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