Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Presenter
Lyndel Williams
The Danger of Predatory Drugs
• Offenders use of “anesthesia-type” drug
• Whether give stealthily or not
• Renders the victim physically incapacitated and thus
incapable resisting sexual advances
• May be conscious during all or part of the assault
• May have amnesia even when conscious
• May appear to “participate” during the assault
What is Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
• Victim is to high or drunk to consent for one of three
reasons:
• Surreptitious administration by assailant
• Mixing of prescription or over the counter drugs will
alcohol or recreational drugs
• Recreational use by the victim
• Remember because the victim consented to drink or use
drugs does not mean they consented to sex
The Drugs of Sexual Assault
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Alcohol
Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)
GHB or its analog GBL
Other Benzodiazephines
Antihistamines
Animal Tranquilizers
Sleep aids
DFSA Issues
• Significantly delayed disclosure or not reported
• Inadequate toxicology
• Must have access to a lab capable of testing sensitive
drugs like GHB and Rohypnol:
Threshold should be .02 ng/ml
Most machines 20 ng/ml
Some machines set at 200 ng/ml
• Change in standards of evidence (blood to urine)
• Identification and use of expert witness
DFSA and Toxicology
• Law enforcement must ask the victim about voluntary drug
use, recreation, prescription and over the counter. We need
to know:
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Victims level of experience with drugs and alcohol
Date and time of last dose
How much alcohol over what period of time
Types of alcohol
How many time did the victim void prior to the exam
• What was different this time?
DFSA and Toxicology
• GI/GU
• Nausea
• Vomiting (can be tested)
• Diarrhea
• Incontinence (urine and feces)
High Blood Alcohol Level
• A high blood alcohol level and the victim’s insistence that
she doesn’t drink and no recall of doing so, should
TRIGGER further tests
• Once given drugs may unknowingly drink shots handed to
her
• Person booked for DUI may report rape once they “come
out of it”
• Don’t assume they are making it up to get out of the DUI!
• Never refuse a rape kit!
The Stimulant Scenario
• Stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine
can be administered to the victim to:
• Confuse the police
• Damage the victims credibility
• How administered?
• Smoked or oral, vaginal or anus by engaging in
sex acts called “booting”
Interviewing the DFSA Victim
• Don’t lead the victim – “and did you feel like”; oh,
maybe somebody put something your drink”
• The victim may be looking to fill the gaps in her
memory, and may adopt these memories as her
own
• Be careful what you say to other officers,
witnesses and hospital personnel
Interviewing the DFSA Victim
• Patterns of sexual relations and recent consensual acts
• Personal history of alcohol/drugs
• Normal drinking levels
• What she knows she ingested
• Anything missing?
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Money
Jewelry
Clothes
Pictures
Investigating DFSA
• Search warrants
• Act promptly
• Officers should know what they are looking for
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Drugs
Precursors
Packaging
Photographs/video (additional victims)
Computer records
• Downloading GHB recipe's
• Pornography sites
• Documents and packaging
• “Bond Tech” could be a GHB kit ordered over the internet
• Catalogs and receipts from Aldrich or Sigma Chemicals supplies
(manufacturing operation?)
Investigating DFSA
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Sexual acts beyond the victims experience
Lack of contraception or protection from STD
Suspect’s prior criminal history
Interview suspects friends
Prior known victims, even those past the statue of
limitations
• Grapevine assistance
Alcohol
Rape
vs.
Drunk Sex
Drunk Sex vs. Rape
• Look for lack of consent
• Did the perpetrator select the victim because she would be
an easy target
• Overcome the tendency to overlook the elements in favor
of blaming the victim
• Look for planning or manipulation on the part of the
perpetrator
• Did he deceive the victim (you are too drunk to drive)
• Focus on the perpetrators attempts to control the situation
Victim’s Credibility
Perception at the time of the assault
• Degree of intoxication
• Were her motor skills impaired?
• Was she able to perceive what was happening
around her?
• Who gave her the drinks?
• Was it the defendant?
• Did the defendant encourage her to drink?
Victim’s Credibility
Memory after the incident
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What does she remember about the event?
Did she black out or pass out?
Where did she go that night?
Can anything refresh her memory?
• Physical or medical evidence
• Statements from other witnesses
• Photographs or video tapes
Victim Credibility
Corroboration
• Victim may delay in reporting
• Evidence lost
• Credibility issues?
• Witnesses
• Does she remember if anyone else was present?
• Who did she tell first?
• Who saw her first after the assault
• Witnesses to ingestion
• What did they see or hear?
• Interview bartenders and waiters
• How much did victim have to drink
• Did she appear to be drunk
Victim Credibility
Victim Likeability
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Victim becomes the focus of the investigation
May not want to cooperate with investigation
Prior bad acts
Does not present as a sympathetic victim
Evidence Collection
• Must find corroborating physical or medical evidence
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Are there surveillance tapes?
Videotapes?
Tape recordings?
Photographs?
Injuries?
Evidence of victim’s presence:
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Blood
Hair
Vomit
Clothing
The Perpetrator
• Always attempt an interview
• Did he know she was drunk?
• How much did she drink?
• What signs of intoxication did she exhibit?
• Who purchased the alcohol?
• Who provided the alcohol?
• Why does the perpetrator think the encounter was
consensual?
The Perpetrator
• Defendants state of intoxication:
Either he was wasted (and therefore
shouldn’t be able to remember clearly
what happened) or he was sober enough
to have the ability to perceive and
remember (and therefore, sober enough to
know better)
Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate
• AKA:
GHB, G, Jib, Scoop,
Liquid X, Easy Lay
Grievous Bodily Harm,
Gamma 10, Salty Water
and GHB Buddy
GHB Information
• GHB is a behavioral CNS depressant that was
originally used by body builders
• Still heavily used by body builders and their
associates
• GHB is available in Europe as an anesthetic
• Drug of choice for Raves, dance clubs and any one
mandatory drug testing
• It has been reported that some “meth” operations
may run a batch of GHB between meth runs
Unique to GHB
• Extremely dose sensitive and very unpredictable especially
with alcohol
• Vomiting (can be tested)
• Rapid high intoxication
• May loose control of bodily functions
• Sexually oriented behavior
• Seizure type movement
• Very loud chain-saw like snoring
• Sudden resolution of symptoms
Unique to GHB
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Respiration very depressed (six per minute)
Pulse – probably slow, but maybe fast
Comatose (deep, unarousable sleep)
No gag reflex
3 – 5 hours of effects
No antidote
Field Testing
• NO field test kit that accurately identifies GHB
(most test for Hydroxy element, thus will not
identify analogs)
• Have a bottle of real water to do a side-by-side
comparison
• BUT:
Field Testing
This is what
GHB/GBL
does to a
Styrofoam
cup!
GHB Street Form
• Most frequently seen as a liquid
• Highly concentrated street-form come in
small plastic bottles (Visine or nasal spray)
• Colorless, odorless, tasteless or salty
• Dosage is usually a capful or two depending
on potency
What To Expect!
GHB in it’s pure form
is clear and thicker
than water; it bubbles
when shaken. But it
can be dyed any
color, watered down
and not all of it’s
analog cousins
bubble.
Typical GHB Containers
Typical bottles for hiding
GHB – film canisters, hair
spray, liquid candy, food
coloring, and vanilla bottles.
Gatorade and hand-pump
lotion bottles
Recognizing Containers
ANY container that will hold a liquid.
Don’t overlook anything in the
kitchen, bathroom or garage.
Examine all sports and nutritional
supplement containers. GHB
addicts have even hidden GHB in
engine compartments.
The Not-So-Obvious
Efforts to Avoid Detection
GHB and it’s analogs are not protected by the Dietary Supplement and
Health Education Act of 1994
How Much Does It Cost?
• Party caps: $5.00 to $15.00
• 16 ounce bottle of water: $30.00 or more
-contains approximately 90 caps
• 32 ouch bottle of water: $80.00 to $120.00
• They can be from 5 to 70 percent or possibly even
straight GHB
Common Indicators That
GHB Has Arrived
• Increase in the number of rapes
• Sudden increase in calls to one location
-disturbance calls
-vomit in bathrooms and halls
-unarousable “drunks” inside and outside the
location
• Increased number of drunk driving stops with
surprisingly low blood alcohol levels
GHB Terms
• “carpeting out” or “throwing down” or
“scooping out” refers to suddenly collapsing
in a heap
• “head snap” refers to similar involuntary
forward snap of the head when the GHB
takes affect
Analogs of GHB
An analog is a chemical cousin
with substantially similar chemical
structure, or the same or similar
side effects
Blue Nitro, Renewtrient,
Revivarant, Remforce, Firewater,
etc.
Gamma butyl lactone (GBL)
It is illegal federally & most
states
This is an unapproved,
misbranded drug
It is the precursor to GHB but
also an “analog”
It converts in the body rapidly
to GHB
More GHB Analogs
Serenity, FX, Enliven, Biosul,
One4B, Fantasy, Sucol B
(made up name), etc.
The Latest Analogs
Midnight Blue, 4 Sleep
Tranquili G, Sublimiss,
etc.
Sodium 4hydroxyvalerate (GHV)
aka 4-methyl GHB
aka Valeric acid
Analogs
• Things to look for:
• Does not contain GHB
• “legal (or herbal) GHB”
• Cleaning products or fingernail polish remover that say
“no aftertaste” or “in case of accidental ingestion, mint
flavoring has been added”
• Other warnings include: before remover arrives be sure
to buy a bottle of fingernail polish to justify having this
product
How are Victims Drugged?
•Sweet or cinnamon flavored liquors like Goldschlager
•Strong drinks like Long Island Ice Tea or Hot Damn
•Any odd concoction that can mask the flavor
•Some may freeze GHB into ice cubes
Clandestine Synthesis of GHB
• One step reaction
• Required chemicals easy to obtain
• No special reaction conditions or chemical
knowledge required
• Synthesis has been widely described on the
internet
• www.erowid.org
Chemicals Used
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Sodium or Potassium hydroxide
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)
Acid (Hydrochloric or Sulfuric)
pH buffer solutions
Gamma-Butylactone (a solvent used for
degreasing engines/cement or stripping floors)
GHB Addiction
• Addiction is not measured by quantity consumed but by
frequency
• Most stumble into addiction accidentally
• Missing a dose by more than a few hours sends the addict
into significant withdrawal symptoms
• Will dose every one to three hours with slightly higher
dose at night for sleep or
• Around the clock sipping from a bottle of diluted product
• Effects will vary based on tiny variations in dose, food
intake or lack of food or other unknown reasons
Addiction Withdrawal
• Withdrawal is characterized by:
• Profuse sweating
• Anxiety attacks
• Soaring blood pressure (stroke levels)
• Hallucinations
• May not recognize family and friends
GHB Detoxification Protocol
• Exact withdrawal treatment has not been clearly
defined
• Treatment will involve use of benzodiazepines and
antipsychotic medications, or Phenobarbital
• Attempts to self-detoxify, without medical
assistance have been fatal and most are unable to
tolerate the symptoms of withdrawal
Who Are The G-Aholics?
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Bodybuilders/athletes
Business professionals (sleep aids)
Elderly (anti-aging compound)
People with depression
People subject to random drug testing
What is Rohypnol?
• Brand name for flunitrazepam manufactured by
Hoffman-LaRoche
• Used as a pre-anesthetic
• Causes anterograde amnesia
• Class of drugs called benzodiazepines
• A chronic user may ingest up to three or more
2mg. tablets without losing consciousness
What are Benzodiazepines?
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Are in the family of depressants
Can produce sedation and deep sleep
Acts as a hypnotic in high doses
Are sedatives (insomnia) in low doses
Are among the most widely prescribed
drugs, accounting for 30% of all controlled
substances
“Benzo” Family Members
diazepam
(valium)
flurazepam
(dalmane)
clonazepam (klonopin)
alprazolam
(xanax)
chlordiazepoxide (librium)
midazolam
(versed)
triazolam
(halcion)
flunitrazepam (rohypnol)
Rohypnol Slang Names
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Roofies, Roches, Ruffies
Ropies, R-2, R-1
Forget-me-pill, Mind Eraser
Pingas, Wheel, Shay
Landing Gear, LaRocha
Ro-shay, Robutal, Roche
Illegal Behavior Associated
with Rohypnol
• Acts of vandalism, sexual assault, and other acts
of violence
• Used by heroin addicts to expand the effects of
low-grade heroin or even used as a substitute
• Used by cocaine and methamphetamine addicts to
“cushion the crash”
• Driving while impaired violations go undetected
Typical Users
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Lower border
Rest of Texas
Middle and high school youth
College students
Older poly-drug users
Gang members
Questions?
Thank You!
Lyndel Williams
Training Director
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
6200 La Calma Drive, Suite 110
Austin, Texas 78752
512-474-7190 x27
williams@taasa.org