Information
Medical/Legal Information:
 

Under Construction
Myths and Facts:
 

Date Rape Drugs:

Some Current Drugs Used: 

Alcohol

Rohypnol

Ketamine

GHB

If you think you may have been drugged, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Most people are already familiar with alcohol's effects, but are unfamiliar with the fact that, under the influence of alcohol, consent for sexual activity cannot be given. Alcohol has also become a carrier for various "date rape drugs" creating a dangerous and potentially lethal combination.

The purpose of a Date Rape Drug is to render a victim incapable of resisting sexual assault. Found at bars, dance halls, social gatherings, high school and college parties, these drugs are tasteless, colorless and odorless, and severely increase your chances of being sexually assaulted. Most drugs in current use leave the victim with little, if any memory of the assault. Often, the victim wakes up in a strange room, having no memory of how they got there. They may be missing clothing, feel bruised or sore, and have a strong feeling that something has gone terribly wrong.

Notice: Possession of these drugs is a criminal act punishable by law.
Statistics:*
  MAINE STATISTICS:

In Maine, the crime of Gross Sexual Assault, as reported to police, occurs every 24 hours, 57 minutes. 1

In 2003, 90% of victim/survivors that called Maine's sexual assault hotline were females, 10% were males. 2

In 2003, there were 353 rapes reported to police. 3

In 2003, Maine's sexual assault crisis and support centers served 1,976 victims of sexual assault, having a total of 10,470 contacts with those clients. 4

NATIONAL STATISTICS:

One in four women and one in six men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. 5

One in every seven victims of sexual assault is under the age of six. 6

One in four victims of sexual assault under the age of twelve is a boy. 7

Persons under 18 years of age account for 67% of all sexual assault victimizations reported to law enforcement agencies. Children under twelve years old account for 34% of those cases, and children under six years old account for 14% of those cases. 8

17.7 million women in the US have been the victim of a rape or attempted rape at some point in their lives. 9

Of female Americans who are raped, 54% experience their first rape before age 18. 10

In a survey of college women, 13.3% indicated that they hve been forced to have sex in a dating situation. 11

In 2003, only 39% of total rapes were reported to police. 12

OTHER STATISTICS:

The United States has the highest rate of rape of any country that publishes such statistics; 13 times higher than Great Britain and 20 times higher than Japan. 13

84% of women who are raped know their assailant. 14

More than half of victims who have experienced sexual assault as an adult have been victims of multiple assaults. 15

Only 2% of all sexual assault accusations reported to law enforcement turn out to be false. This is the same rate as other types of violent crimes. 16

The chances that a woman will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after being raped are 50-90%. 17

Rape has the highest annual victim costs compared to all other crimes except child sexual assault; this cost has been estimated at $127 billion per year. 18

92,700 men are forcibly raped each year in the United States. 19

FOOTNOTES:

  1. Maine Department of Public Safety, Uniform Crime Report, 2003.
  2. MECASA 2003 Center Statistics.
  3. Maine Department of Public Safety, Uniform Crime Report, 2003.
  4. MECASA 2003 Center Statistics.
  5. Finkelhor, David, et al. Sexual Abuse in a National Survey of Adult Men and Women: Prevalence, Characteristics and Risk Factors. Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal v 14 n1 p 19-28, 1990.
  6. Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics. US Department of Justice Statistics.
  7. Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. National Center for Juvenile Justice, Washington, DC; US Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. September, 1999.
  8. Snyder, Howard. Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics. Bureau of Justice Statistics, US Department of Justice, 2000.
  9. Research in Brief, Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey, National Institute of Justice Centers for Disease Control, November, 1998.
  10. Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoennes. Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice, November 1998.
  11. Johnson, I. and R. Sigler. Forced Sexual Intercourse Among Intimates, 2000.
  12. Criminal Victimization, 2003. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 2004.
  13. Kilpatrick, D.G., C.N. Edmunds & A. Seymour. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. (1992) Arlington, VA: National Victim Center.
  14. Kilpatrick, D.G., C.N. Edmunds & A. Seymour. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. (1992) Arlington, VA: National Victim Center.
  15. Feldhaus, K. Annals of Emergency Medicine. Volume 36, pp 33-27, July, 2000.
  16. Reno, J., D. Marcus, M. Leary, K. Turman. First Response to Victims of Crime. Office for Victims of Crime, US Department of Justice, May, 2000.
  17. Population Reports: Ending Violence Against Women. Population Information Program, Center for Communications Programs, The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health & Center for Health and Gender Equity, 2000.
  18. Evaluation and Management of the Sexually Assaulted or Sexually Abused Patient. American College of Emergency Physicians, 1999.
  19. Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoennes. Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice, November 1998.

*Statistics are from MECASA's website at http://www.mecasa.org/statistics.html
Rape Crisis : Assistance and Prevention - Helpline : 1-800-871-7741