he term "date-rape drug" is slang for any drug that may be used during a sexual assault. This —^would include Rohypnol (also called rooties, Forget Pill, or Mind Eraser), gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB; also called Liquid Ecstasy, Georgia Home Boy, or Easy Lay), and Ketamine (also called Special K, Kit Kat, or Cat Valium). Today experts refer to rapes using these drugs as "drug-facilitated sexual assault." The effects of these drugs are similar to those of Valium, but they are much more powerful. The drugs go to work quickly, and the time they last varies. If a person has been drinking alcohol when the drugs were ingested, the drug effects will e? last longer. Side effects of these drugs may include drowsiness, memory problems, lower blood pressure, sleepiness, problems talking, dizziness, and/or impaired motor < functions. With higher doses, convulsions, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and coma and/or death can occur. In late 2005, reports circulated about fatal levels of GHB given to women at Colorado fraternity parties ("Date Rape Drug Served," 2005).
Rohypnol is illegal in the United States, but is legal in several countries and has been smuggled into the United
States. Rohypnol comes in tablet form and is typically placed in a drink, where it quickly dissolves. Once dissolved, the tablets are undetectable—there is no taste or color change to the liquid. Ketamine is a white powder that easily dissolves in a drink, whereas GHB can come in tablet, liquid, or powder form. Ketamine and GHB are both legal and used for different medical purposes. The effects of these drugs usually begin within 30 minutes, peak within 2 hours, and can last a total of 8 hours. An individual may feel nauseous, hot or cold, and dizzy within 10 minutes after ingesting these drugs.
You can protect yourself from drug — facilitated sexual assault by never accepting drinks from other people, opening your drinks yourself, and by never leaving your drink unattended. If you think you have been drugged, it’s important to go to a police station or hospital as soon as possible. A urine test can check for the presence of the drugs. These drugs can leave your body within 12 to 72 hours, so it’s important to get a urine test as soon as possible. For more information about date-rape drugs, check the website listings at the end of this chapter.
2003) . Having psychological or alcohol problems does not predispose a person to be a rapist. In fact, men who rape are often found to be nearly “normal” in every other way. Perhaps it is easier to see rapists as somehow sick than realize that the potential to rape exists in many of us.
Theories of rapist psychopathology were very common until the 1950s, when feminist researchers began to refocus attention on rape’s effect on the victim rather than on the offender. However, there are still those who accept psychopathological theories today. In fact, college students often report that this theory helps to explain stranger rape but doesn’t help us to understand date or acquaintance rape (Cowan, 2000).
Victim Precipitation Theory: Blaming the Victim
victim precipitation theory
A theory of rape that identifies victim charac teristics or behaviors that contribute to rape.
SEX in Real Life