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Tips for Reducing the Risk of Sexual Violence

  • Know your boundaries and express them assertively and clearly.
  • Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation.
  • Know your limits when using alcohol and other drugs.
  • Prior to going out at night, determine your plan for your return home. Let someone know where you're going when you leave.
  • Go out in groups and do not leave a group member alone at a party or bar.
  • Never leave your drink unattended or drink from an open container or punch bowl.
  • Try not to walk alone at night. If you must walk alone, walk in well-lit areas.

Communication

  • Communicate your sexual desires and limits clearly. If you feel uncomfortable about a behavior, someone is crossing your boundaries. Verbal cues are the most direct way to let someone know your limits.
  • Be assertive and direct. Forget about being nice if you feel threatened. You have the right to protect yourself.
  • Say what you are thinking, what you really want.
  • Be an active partner in relationships and share decisions about what to do, where to meet and when to be intimate.
  • Never take silence as consent. If you feel you are getting double messages, speak up and ask for clarification.
  • Accept a person's decision. Respect the word "no".

Assessment

  • Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable or think you may be at risk, leave the situation immediately and go to a safe place.
  • Exercise caution when dating. Have first dates in public places. Let someone know where you are going and when you will return. Try to provide your own transportation.
  • Avoid anyone who puts you down, talks negatively about women in general, is physically violent or does not respect you or your decisions.
  • Do not assume that a person wants to have sex just because they are drinking heavily, dressed in a particular manner, or agrees to go home with you. Do not assume that if a person agrees to kissing or other sexual intimacies, that they are also willing to have sexual intercourse.
  • Know you limits when using alcohol or other drugs.

Some things to think about:

  • Do not assume you know what your partner wants.
  • If you have doubts about what you partner wants, STOP and ASK!
  • Sexually interacting with a person who is mentally or physically incapable of giving consent (drunk, stoned, etc.) is sexual assault.
  • Speaking out against sexual violence shows your support.
  • You can stand up to racist, sexist, homophobic, and classist statements and jokes.

Date Rape Drugs

Alcohol is the most commonly used drug to facilitate sexual assaults. As many as 75% of men and 55% of women had been drinking alcohol prior to an acquaintance rape. Common effects of alcohol include:

  • Impaired memory
  • Impaired concentration/coordination
  • Decreased inhibitions

Rohypnol

Rohypnol (Roofies, Roach, R-2's, Rope) is a drug that can be used to sedate victims in order to sexually assault them. It is one of the strongest benzodiazepines. It has never been legal to manufacture or possess Rohypnol in the United States however, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, Hoffman-La Roche, legally manufactures it in Mexico and several other countries. Rohypnol is commonly prescribed in other countries as a short-term treatment for sleep disorders. Hoffman-La Roche recently reformulated this medication to turn clear fluids green when dissolving and to slow dissolution rates. Effects are felt within 30 minutes after ingestion. The effects can peak after 2 hours, but can last over 8 hours and include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Memory Loss
  • Muscle relaxation
  • Disorientation
  • Psychomotor Slowing
  • Lowered Blood Pressure

Rohypnol usually remains in the blood for only 2 to 4 hours after ingestion, but it can sometimes be detected in urine for up to 72 hours. When a police report is made, testing for the presence of date rape drugs can be completed at a hospital ER.

GHB

GHB (Liquid X, Liquid E, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy) is a drug that is also used in sexual assaults. It is often sold as a clear or syrupy liquid, although it is sometimes produced as a white powder. Drinks that are laced with GHB can sometimes be detected because they may have an unpleasant, plastic, salty taste. GHB begins to take effect within 5 to 15 minutes from ingestion and symptoms last from 3 to 6 hours. Common effects include:

  • Visual disturbance
  • Memory loss
  • Hallucinations
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Slowed heart rate

GHB usually remains in the blood for at most 4 hours and in the urine for at most, 12 hours. When a police report is made, testing for the presence of date rape drugs can be completed at a hospital ER.

Some tips to remember:

  • Be wary of club promotions or parties that charge men, but admit women free and let women drink free.
  • Don't leave your drink unattended, even take it to the bathroom with you.
  • Don't drink from a punch bowl-you can never be sure what is in it.
  • Don't share drinks with another person.
  • If you drink alcohol, pace yourself. A good rule of thumb is to stick to one alcohol containing drink per hour.
  • Get your own drink and watch it being made.
  • Date rape drugs can be put into any type of drink, including soda, juice, or water.

Some things to consider:

  • What kind of experience do I want to have when I drink alcohol or use other drugs?
  • What roles do alcohol and other drugs play in misperception and acquaintance rape?
  • What assumptions are sometimes made when a person is drinking alcohol or using other drugs?