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Alcohol, not drugs, poses biggest date rape risk

7zark7

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Joined
Jun 7, 2004
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DRINKING, not drink spiking, may be behind the vast majority of date rapes. An analysis of blood and urine samples suggests that while most victims were drunk at the time of the assault, very few had swallowed sedatives.

"Everyone thinks that Rohypnol is a problem," says Michael Scott-Ham of the UK's Forensic Science Service in London. "But alcohol is by far the biggest problem." Scott-Ham and his colleague Fiona Burton analysed samples taken from 1014 victims in the UK soon after the alleged assault between January 2000 and December 2002. Only 2 per cent of samples contained sedatives, they report in a paper to be published in the Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine.

They then focused on the 391 victims who had given samples within 12 hours of the assault - when alcohol could still be detected in the samples. They calculated that, at the time of the assault, 32 per cent of victims had consumed enough alcohol to make them pass out or suffer memory loss - with more than 200 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. A further 24 per cent were drunk, with at least 150 mg of alcohol per 100 ml.

While some victims may have had their drinks spiked with alcohol rather than sedatives, Scott-Ham wants to overturn the idea that making sure your drink hasn't been spiked is enough to guard against rape.

From issue 2533 of New Scientist magazine, 07 January 2006, page 13
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg18925334.400
(Subscription required)
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Alcohol, not drugs, poses biggest date rape risk

07 January 2006
From New Scientist Print Edition.


[edited for FP - ff]
 
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Not surprised at those figures at all. It seems every second girl I talk to has been flipped a mickey. Maybe just drinking too fast, girls ?
 
^you make it sound like it's the girl's fault she got raped if she was drunk rather than drugged.

ever think that getting very drunk might be a similar situation to having a drink spiked, someone giving them double or triple drinks they thought were only singles?
 
joannie_mhm said:
^you make it sound like it's the girl's fault she got raped if she was drunk rather than drugged.
I do ? How ?

joannie_mhm said:
ever think that getting very drunk might be a similar situation to having a drink spiked, someone giving them double or triple drinks they thought were only singles?
That trick is as old as the hills. But stop to think for a while, if you were drinking at a responsible pace, how would you not notice yourself getting drunker than you should and subsequently adjusting your pace ?

If you were drinking fast in the company of a guy you didn't know who was buying you drinks, then it seems likely you might run into trouble somewhere along the line, whether your drink is spiked or not.
 
Controversial? Seems common sense to me. Most violent crimes are linked with alcohol, including rape, murder, and assault- not to mention DUI wrecks.

I get really frustrated with the Panglossian view of Alcohol in Americans minds. To today's collegiate youth the only way to socialize at night is through alcohol- one of the most dangerous, painful, and disorienting drugs- yet people don't even recognize alcohol as a drug. Even after they are puking in their roomates bed or pissing on their computer. Yet mention natural drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis, or coca leaves- and Americans will be gossiping about your drug problem. It seems drugs are only drugs if they are illicit.

At a date rape drug informational session which I attended for free pizza at ohio state three years ago, a woman spent an entire hour denigrating Rophynol, GHB.. all the media's spotlighted date rape drugs. Her movies showed all these teenagers at bars getting wasted. Yet the only warning from this lady was protect your drink from spiking by date rape drugs.

Like you could even protect your drink from a determined spiker. It just takes a tiny squirt of colorless liquid in a blink of an eye. I'm just saying if you want to be completely protected, the first step would be not to visit the bars.

Nevertheless, I think the important fact from this study is the real danger is not from spiked drinks, but the actual drinks themselves (containing up to 70% alcohol- the same amount as hand sanitizer). Alcohol is the NUMBER ONE date rape drug.

To compare, it seems airline risk is quite less than automobile risk, but more people are afraid of flying than driving. Similarly, theres much less risk of spiked drinks, but ladies are much more afraid of "drugs" than the actual toxin they are ingesting with each drink.
 
luke_dm5- having reread your post, i see you didn't mean the comment like i read it. my bad :)

But stop to think for a while, if you were drinking at a responsible pace, how would you not notice yourself getting drunker than you should and subsequently adjusting your pace ?

and you're right about drinking at a responsible pace, but i'm sure all of us have been out drinking, had a few and it's not until a while later that they all hit you at once. if someone's feeding you more alcohol than you think you're having, this is going to be even more dramatic.

If you were drinking fast in the company of a guy you didn't know who was buying you drinks, then it seems likely you might run into trouble somewhere along the line, whether your drink is spiked or not.

right again, but please remember that rape is not always comitted by a stranger. many many times it's someone the victim knows.
 
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Just a query with the stats of rape victims found with alcohol vs. drugs in their system; doesn't GHB quickly leave the body, thus that could be an explaination as to why it is not highly representated in the stats?
 
"They then focused on the 391 victims who had given samples within 12 hours of the assault"

I think GHB can still be detected then too.
 
Manifespo said:
To today's collegiate youth the only way to socialize at night is through alcohol- one of the most dangerous, painful, and disorienting drugs- yet people don't even recognize alcohol as a drug. Even after they are puking in their roomates bed or pissing on their computer. Yet mention natural drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis, or coca leaves- and Americans will be gossiping about your drug problem. It seems drugs are only drugs if they are illicit.


You need to get more onto college campuses man
 
joannie_mhm said:
^you make it sound like it's the girl's fault she got raped if she was drunk rather than drugged.

ever think that getting very drunk might be a similar situation to having a drink spiked, someone giving them double or triple drinks they thought were only singles?

They would have to be fucken stupid not to realise they were sipping a triple or double vodka, you would be able to smell it from 2 metres.
 
Is this a surprise to anyone?

This made me think of, "While alcohol robs a man of his sense opium causes him to delight in them." Drunk people get taken advantage of, but it just goes to show that you need to be around good people and be responsible.

Peace,
PL
 
Manifespo said:
I get really frustrated with the Panglossian view of Alcohol in Americans minds. To today's collegiate youth the only way to socialize at night is through alcohol- one of the most dangerous, painful, and disorienting drugs- yet people don't even recognize alcohol as a drug. Even after they are puking in their roomates bed or pissing on their computer. Yet mention natural drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis, or coca leaves- and Americans will be gossiping about your drug problem. It seems drugs are only drugs if they are illicit.

I know exactly what you are talking about and its so ridiculous. This kid that sat next to me in chemistry last year was a drinker, but I prefferred shrooms, and he would tell em how bad it is. When I tried to tell him shrooms arent toxic or bad for you at all he burst into these laughing fits like I was stupid. Then he wouldnt even acknowledge alcohol is a drug. Its ridiculous, many people jsut dont understand, they think just because its legal, it is safe. Its just plain ridiculous. Fuck the war on drugs.
 
Psychedelics_r_best said:
I know exactly what you are talking about and its so ridiculous. This kid that sat next to me in chemistry last year was a drinker, but I prefferred shrooms, and he would tell em how bad it is. When I tried to tell him shrooms arent toxic or bad for you at all he burst into these laughing fits like I was stupid. Then he wouldnt even acknowledge alcohol is a drug. Its ridiculous, many people jsut dont understand, they think just because its legal, it is safe. Its just plain ridiculous. Fuck the war on drugs.

Thats the absolute truth brother, people think substances like nicotine, pharms, and alcohol are not drugs because they are legal. FUCK THAT SHIT! Alcohol should be right up there with cocaine. God... society is so ignorant and weak minded, so many people take what the government and media feeds them by the spoonful. Just because some grey haired men, tell you its bad for you they automatically take it to the extreme.
 
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