Date-rape drink spiking 'an urban legend'

blix · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:44

A study of more than 200 students revealed many wrongly blamed the effects of a "bad night out" on date-rape drugs, when they had just drunk excessively.

Many are in "active denial" that drinking large amounts of alcohol can leave them "incoherent and incapacitated", the Kent University researchers concluded.

Young women's fears about date-rape drugs are so ingrained that students mistakenly think it is a more important factor in sexual assault than being drunk, taking drugs or walking alone at night.

The study, published in the British Journal of Criminology, found three-quarters of students identified drink spiking as an important risk – more than alcohol or drugs.

More than half said they knew someone whose drink had been spiked.

But despite popular beliefs, police have found no evidence that rape victims are commonly drugged with such substances, the researchers said.

Nick Ross, chair of the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, commented: "There is no evidence of widespread use of hypnotics in sexual assault, let alone Rohypnol, despite many attempts to prove the contrary.

"During thousands of blood and alcohol tests lots of judgement-impairing compounds were discovered, but they were mostly street drugs or prescription pharmaceuticals taken by the victims themselves, and above all alcohol was the common theme.

Earlier this year, Australian researchers found that not one of 97 young men and women admitted to hospital over 19 months to two Perth hospital claiming to have had their drinks spiked, had in fact been drugged.

Van Hellseek · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:47

I've known several girls to claim to have had their drinks spiked. But I don't believe it for a second. They got wasted. End of story.

Greenlizard0 · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:47

A study was required?

Crikey, maybe it is slightly sexist of me but I thought all the attention garnished and used by women regarding these things were for their own advantage anyway..

"Oh I must have been spiked" I drank too much
"I could be spiked! Stay with me!" I drank too much

etc..

OzyOly · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:48

It's pretty common though. I've had two friends who have been drugged. One drink and 40mins later they can't walk at all.
They were 'falling asleep' with their eyes open. Really scary, and I'm just glad I was with them to make sure they were safe.

Dark_Angel · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:50

It pains me to say this, but England's problems with drink are just getting a bit out of control. I'm not saying people should not get drunk, or go to clubs. What I am saying is the amount of people that get so drunk they don't know where they are is just amazing.

platypus · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:52

Women falsely claiming rape/date-rape is nothing new. Those found to do so should face criminal charges for all the damage they cause.

OzyOly · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:55

platypus said:
Women falsely claiming rape/date-rape is nothing new. Those found to do so should face criminal charges for all the damage they cause.

True enough. Really annoys me how they take the girls side.

If you're both drunk and sleep together, if she doesn't remember much of the night and accuses to of rape but was riding you at the time, you can still go to prison. :mad:

mac1st3 · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:55

yup, knew a couple of girls who would get trashed to the point of being very dizzy etc and assume they'd been drugged, they'd even sip their drink, exclaim "this tastes funny" and carry on drinking it =/ sad, sad little girls crying for attention they were

Dracata · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:56

I agree with all of the above, although at the same time of course it *does* happen, probably just not as often as claimed.

Ironically, my ex-girlfriend goes to Kent Uni, and her drink was spiked about 6 months ago. She'd had two drinks and was absolutely incapacitated, and felt the effects for a couple of days.

Van Hellseek · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:57

OzyOly said:
It's pretty common though. I've had two friends who have been drugged. One drink and 40mins later they can't walk at all.
They were 'falling asleep' with their eyes open. Really scary, and I'm just glad I was with them to make sure they were safe.

Sorry mate, but I still don't believe they were drugged.

Bad reaction to alcohol perhaps. But date rape drugs? B/S.

Dark_Angel · 27 Oct 2009 at 09:59

I think it's a case of it does happen, but people cry wolf so it's hard to not be cynical.

cheets64 · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:00

I went to pick my sister up from Preston on Saturday at 3am and seeing some of the women spilling out of the clubs, unable to walk or even function considering how many their I would say very few had been drugged.

HarryPainful · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:03

Its not rubbish at all I know a girl this has happened to, she does not drink, smoke or do anything else.

platypus · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:06

HarryPainful said:
Its not rubbish at all I know a girl this has happened to, she does not drink, smoke or do anything else.

So she doesn't drink smoke, or do anything else. She had a little drinky and had a bad reaction?

Dark_Angel · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:06

HarryPainful said:
Its not rubbish at all I know a girl this has happened to, she does not drink, smoke or do anything else.

I don't doubt it has happened to some women. It's impossible given the huge amount of reports for all of them to be fake.

OzyOly · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:08

seek said:
Sorry mate, but I still don't believe they were drugged.

Bad reaction to alcohol perhaps. But date rape drugs? B/S.

No way, these people drink lots more than me usually, and it was seriously one drink in two different clubs, both full of scummy ******.

I've never seen someone who can't move, but was fully aware of what was going on in the room before. It was scary ****. Was tempted to phone an ambulance.

Randell Floyd · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:10

Working as a Paramedic, about 75% of students/females 16-25 we pick-up under the influence of alcohol will claim they have been spiked, as most claim they've not drank any more than normal. In taking 1000's in with such claims, I've only ever had a handful I thought might actually have been spiked, and only ever had one proven.

The funniest part is you'll have a bunch of people out, and 99.99% of the time it will be the fug-ugly one that's been 'spiked'

.

I agree with whoever posted about this country's problem with alcohol, it's an absolute disgrace the amount of side effect drinking has on society. On a Sat night in the City, you could have a elderly lady fallen with a broken leg on a floor for a hour, but since a non-responsive, or 'difficulty breathing' **** head is classed as a higher priority guess who get the ambulance, and on a side note guess which one dishes out physical and verbal abuse?

Dark_Angel · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:13

I heard something about that Englands drink problems have increased three times the amount in the past five or ten (don 't remember which) years.

Though apparently that's blamed on cheap super market booze.

cheets64 · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:17

OzyOly said:
No way, these people drink lots more than me usually, and it was seriously one drink in two different clubs, both full of scummy ******.

I've never seen someone who can't move, but was fully aware of what was going on in the room before. It was scary ****. Was tempted to phone an ambulance.

So you claim she was drugged yet never phoned for an ambulance, wtf.

Randell Floyd said:
Working as a Paramedic, about 75% of students/females 16-25 we pick-up under the influence of alcohol will claim they have been spiked, as most claim they've not drank any more than normal. In taking 1000's in with such claims, I've only ever had a handful I thought might actually have been spiked, and only ever had one proven.

The funniest part is you'll have a bunch of people out, and 99.99% of the time it will be the fug-ugly one that's been 'spiked' .

I agree with whoever posted about this country's problem with alcohol, it's an absolute disgrace the amount of side effect drinking has on society. On a Sat night in the City, you could have a elderly lady fallen with a broken leg on a floor for a hour, but since a non-responsive, or 'difficulty breathing' **** head is classed as a higher priority guess who get the ambulance, and on a side note guess which one dishes out physical and verbal abuse?

Aye you only notice it when you are sober, it opens your eyes when you are around them, It felt like a zombie film, unable to speak, trying to grab you.

antijoke · 27 Oct 2009 at 10:18

Dark_Angel said:
I heard something about that Englands drink problems have increased three times the amount in the past five or ten (don 't remember which) years.

Though apparently that's blamed on cheap super market booze.

It's a joke isn't it. :rolleyes:

People just cannot hold their drink, and I cannot help but LOL at people who are like "I got so wasted over the weekend, I had like 12 pints, 5 chasers, 8 shots".