NCJ Number
182978
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 67 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2000 Pages: 38-46
Date Published
June 2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article examines law enforcement responses to the growing use of “date rape drugs” as tools of submission among sexual offenders.
Abstract
The growing popularity of “date rape drugs” as tools of submission among sexual offenders accounts for much of the complexity in cases where women report unusual symptoms such as blackouts and hazy or no memories surrounding the attacks. The drugs, central nervous system depressants, can produce a variety of symptoms such as dizziness, loss of motor coordination, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, and even death. They are easy to obtain and easy to slip into food or drink. The Drug-Induced Rape Prevention Act of 1996 imposes a prison term of up to 20 years for anyone convicted of giving any controlled substance to another person without his or her knowledge, with the intention of committing a sexual assault. The law also requires the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to consider reclassifying at least one of the “date rape drugs” to provide for closer control and instructs the U.S. Attorney General to create educational materials for law enforcement. Law enforcement can contribute to the successful prosecution of drug-facilitated sexual assault cases by recognizing the symptoms of drugging, the availability and toxicology of widely used substances and the range of delivery methods. Notes, resources