Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault – MCASA 2007

Objectives

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Define Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA)

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List possible Date Rape drugs

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Identify possible DFSA Cases Develop DFSA Investigation strategies

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“I had two drinks, but then I blacked out. That has never happened to me”

A May 2006 study found…

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Almost 62 percent of sexual assaults were found to be drug facilitated, and almost 5 percent of the victims were given classic 'date rape' drugs

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

 Relatively new term  Definitely not a new issue  Original and ongoing drug of choice:  alcohol

Defined

  Victims is subjected to non-consensual sexual act(s) while incapacitated by alcohol and/or drugs 

Effect of the substance(s) prevents resistance and ability to consent

Prevalence is not known

Perpetrators

 Myth: it is only Stranger in the club or singles bar  Reality is: 

Perpetrator could be a date or a trusted “friend”

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Health care provider in a medical setting

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Could be a neighbor

Common Occurrences

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In some cases the substances are taken voluntarily by the victims, impairing their ability to make decisions It is so common for boys/men to encourage a woman to drink heavily in order to “hit that”; many people do not recognize this as a crime

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In other cases the substances are given to the victims without their knowledge, which may decrease their ability to identify a dangerous situation or to resist the perpetrator.

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They can even make it seem as though the victim is consenting, ie. allowing the sexual advances of their attacker.

Planning

 Many, many repeat offenders – WHY?

 Drugs used often cause rapid loss of ability to walk – implications if you are the perp?

 Plan the assault very near the location of the drugging  Target someone who can be easily “carried” home – The Rescuer, the helper

Sometimes

 Perpetrators take “trophies”  May video tape, photograph the act   Most times the act is planned Shows little remorse  Denies he did anything wrong; or may be remorseful with victim afterward  May be more than one perpetrator  Younger perps/college settings

Profile

       Are these perpetrators generally organized or disorganized?

High functioning Grandiose, self-absorbed Narcissistic Appear to be functioning well Two groups   College students Men > 30 years of age Often single (never married or divorced)

One Modus operandi

     Good verbal social skills Charming Can quickly establish “trust” “Wine and dine” In the morning, dares her to tell someone  Victim may have voluntarily consumed to some type of illicit drug use

Modus operandi

 Usually not psychiatrically ill  Usually not drunk or stoned  Very much in control of the situation  Usually not violent,  Often makes NO effort to hide identity

Modus operandi

 Perpetrators may live out their fantasies  Anal sex  Ejaculate onto victim’s face, into the mouth  Shave the victim  Dress the victim up in “special” clothes

DFSA v Coercive Rapist

 General lack of violence  Clothes not torn off  No mutilation  No threats prior to the rape – maybe a threat afterwards that no one will believe her  DFSA have superb verbal skills

Two Common Presentations

 Complete “loss of consciousness”  I passed out…I was gone. He could have sawed me in half and I would not know it  Fragmented memory – brief, intermittent periods of visual and/or auditory memories  I was awake some of the time but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk

Victim Interview

 Victim may remember little or nothing.

 There may be many “holes” in the story  Their uncertainty may cause extreme anxiety

Victim Interviews

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Keep in mind:

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a victim whose memory is impaired due to the pharmacological effect of a drug, may innocently and unconsciously seek facts to fill in the gaps in her memory

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Avoid suggestive questioning

 It is very important to have the victim articulate how they felt or what they had been doing prior to losing consciousness.

Common Presentation

 memory loss, dizziness, confusion,  drowsiness, slurred speech, impaired motor skills, impaired judgment, reduced inhibition  variety of other symptoms. The victim may also appear intoxicated or "hung-over".

Witness Statements

  Although the victim statement is crucial to the investigation, persons who saw the victim, or spoke to the victim, before, during and after the assault are critical witnesses. Often, it is such witnesses who establish time frames, notice unusual behavior, provide critical facts and can identify potential sources of information.

Potential Evidence

 drugs, ingredients used to make drugs,  drug-related literature and recipes,  Internet correspondence,  Drug packaging and bottles,  photographs and video tapes of victims -- might be located in the suspect's residence, vehicle, place of employment, locker, etc.

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Common DFSA Drugs

Alcohol

 CNS depressant  Depresses all body functions  Easily tested and found in blood  Have to have high concentration to get the desired effect

Alcohol mixed with other Drugs

 DFSA cases  Barbituates  Benzodiazepines  Antihistamines  Tricyclic antidepressants  Marijuana  GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid)  Narcotics

Benzodiazepines

        Around since the 1950s Librium chlordiazepoxide Xanax Tranxene Valium alprazolam clorazepate diazapam Dalmane flurazepam Halcion triazolam Restoril temazepam

Rohypnol

    Rohypnol – flunitrazepam Ten times more potent than diazapam Marketed legally since 1970s in Europe, South America and Asia Never submitted the FDA for approval in the United States

Rohypnol

 Roofies  R  Date rape drug  LaRocha (Hoffman – LaRoche)

Rohypnol

 Half-life is one day  Clinical effects are much shorter  Fast acting drug  Kicks in within an hour  Clinical effects several hours  Strong AMNESIA effect

Rohypnol

 Can be found in blood and urine  1999 study: Of 1033 samples only six had flunitrazapam  While 40% had alcohol  Several hot spots in the country  Florida  Minneapolis  Southern California

GHB

   gamma-hydroxybutyric acid Used clinically as an anesthetic and hypnotic agent since 1960s GHB can be readily synthesized in your home

GHB

 Often an off-white powder  Colorless liquid  Mild caramel odor  Used by Body Builders  Used voluntarily for a euphoric high

GHB

 Internet recipes  GBL (industrial solvent) and sodium hydoxide  Differing concentrations will vary CNS effects  Ideal concentration is about 20%  Can be dried to powder and packed into capsules

“The Party's Never Over: While the days of THC are past, the days of ecstasy and GHB are peaking”

GHB

 Rapidly absorbed and eliminated 20-45 minutes  Serum levels can be obtained up to about 8 hours  Urine specimen up to 12 hours  Victim’s rarely make it to the hospital in this amount of time.

 If DFSA is suspected time is of the essence!

 G  Scoop

GHB

Easy lay Liquid X  Grievous Bodily Harm  Liquid E  Salty Water

Other Common Drugs in DFSA

     Ketamine RAVE – Dance Parties Psilocybin – mushrooms, LSD MDMA – hallucinogenic, stimulant (Ectasy)    Number one RAVE drug Dilated pupils, bounding energy, increased HR, BP Often imported from Europe Sextasy MDNA taken with a Viagra  Bounding energy with 3 to 4 hour erection

Ketamine

   K Special K Vitamin K   Legitimate veterinarian tranquilizer Pediatric anethesia

MDMA

 3,4 methlenedioxymethamph etamine      Ecstasy X XTC E Hug Drug

Ask about the Lab Test

 DFSA labs should be sent to a special lab, often the FBI lab. Normal hospital drug screens do not cover many DFSA drugs.

 Generally blood and urine depending on the timeframe.

 Ask the forensic nurse for clarification

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Questions???