Date rape drugs are substances that perpetrators of sexual assault use to incapacitate unsuspecting victims. They typically get slipped into a person’s drink at a bar, party, or concert.
In 2023, Massachusetts has seen an alarming spike in date rape drug incidents, especially in the Boston area.
Date Rape Drugs In Massachusetts
Throughout 2023, Massachusetts police departments have reported large increases in drink spiking incidents. Most of these incidents occur at bars, nightclubs, concert venues, or house parties. To reduce them, police urge residents to take precautions such as:
- keeping your drinks covered
- watching the bartender mix your drink if you order a drink from a bar
- never accepting open drinks from anyone
- never leaving your drinks unattended
- never visiting bars, parties, or similar places alone
Unfortunately, even when following these safety measures, some people still experience date rape drugging.
How To Address Drink Spiking Incidents In Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Senate recently passed an amendment known as the “Drink Spiking Tests Bulk Purchase Program and Awareness Campaign.”
Proposed by Senator Paul Feeney, this amendment allocates $300,000 to the Department of Public Health’s Division of Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention and Services to address drink spiking incidents.
Test Kits
The Department of Health (DPH) plans to distribute drink spiking test kits to bars, restaurants, night clubs, concert venues, and other places where drugging often occurs. These tests can detect if a drink contains a date rape drug, which are typically colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
Public Awareness Campaigns
The DPH will also launch a public awareness campaign about date rape drugging. As part of this campaign, the department will list common date rape drugs and offer resources to suspected victims on its website.
Task Force
Additionally, the amendment requires the DPH to establish a “Date Rape Drug Response and Intervention Task Force.”
This task force will collect data on drink spiking incidents throughout the state. It will also study and recommend hospital care regulations for victims of date rape drugging.
Hospital Care Regulations For Victims
Hospitals are now required to issue urine samples or other forms of drug screening to anyone showing symptoms of date rape drug ingestion, even if they have not been sexually assaulted.
When proposing this requirement, Senator Feeney highlighted the fact that when
hospitals only drug test people who have been assaulted, many drugging incidents go unreported.
He referenced a viral TikTok post made by Mansfield resident Brinly Meelia, who said hospital workers refused to drug test her after she was drugged but not assaulted. When a hospital does not test a victim for drugs, the incident is not reported to law enforcement.
Types Of Date Rape Drugs
Sexual assault perpetrators use many different substances as date rape drugs. The most commonly used substances include:
Rohypnol
Rohypnol is the brand name for a drug called flunitrazepam. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which also includes Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Rohypnol for any medical use.
However, outside the U.S., it’s often prescribed to treat insomnia (trouble sleeping).
Like other benzodiazepines, Rohypnol acts as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. That means it slows down your brain activity, which can cause the following effects:
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- weakness
- impaired motor skills
- confusion
- impaired judgment
- loss of inhibitions
- reduced consciousness
All of these effects make a person more vulnerable to sexual assault. When used to facilitate assault, Rohpynol and other benzodiazepines are often called “roofies.”
Roofies can cause a life-threatening overdose, especially when mixed with other CNS depressants, including alcohol. Common signs of overdose include slowed breathing, slowed heartbeat, and loss of consciousness.
Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB)
Like Rohpynol, GHB (also called sodium oxybate) is a CNS depressant. It’s sometimes prescribed under the brand name Xyrem to treat narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness). It can facilitate sexual assault by causing effects such as:
- drowsiness
- confusion
- loss of inhibitions
- blackouts (temporary losses of consciousness)
- memory loss
Like Rohpynol, GHB can also cause an overdose, especially when mixed with alcohol. Common signs of overdose include vomiting, slowed breathing or heartbeat, and loss of consciousness.
Ambien
Ambien is the brand name for a prescription drug called zolpidem. Prescribed to treat insomnia, it belongs to a class of drugs called sedative-hypnotics.
Like other date rape drugs, Ambien can cause drowsiness, impaired judgment, confusion, memory loss, and overdose. Common symptoms of overdose include severe drowsiness, slowed breathing or heartbeat, and loss of consciousness.
Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that makes you feel disconnected from reality. It can cause a variety of effects that facilitate sexual assault, including sedation, immobility, memory loss, and loss of consciousness.
Other effects may include irritability, depression, and extreme anxiety. In addition, at high doses, the drug may slow your breathing to a fatal degree.
If you or someone you love struggles with drug misuse, please reach out to Northeast Addictions Treatment Center. Our board-certified healthcare providers offer behavioral therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and other evidence-based services to help you or your loved one.
