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United Nations Report warns of alarming rise of “date-rape drugs” worldwide |
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On 24th Feb 2010 in its annual report, the International Narcotics Control Board, a United Nations agency, called for governments worldwide to give greater attention to fighting drug abuse, especially the so called date-rape drugs whose use, they claimed is on the rise. This report also called for all governments to implement a 2009 resolution of the Commission on Narcotic drugs “to combat the misuse of pharmaceutical products to commit sexual assault as soon as possible and to be vigilant about the worrying increase in date rape drug abuse.”
For the last fifteen years The Roofie Foundation have been calling on the British Government to do just that. Currently there are no governmental initiatives to help combat the problem of drink spiking and drug rape. In the UK the experience of the Roofie Foundation via its helpline leads us to believe that whilst drug rape IS NOT on the increase, drink spiking for other reasons other than sexual abuse is on the increase and presents a growing problem for both men and women of all age groups.
In this election year The Roofie foundation would like to ask all political parties about their knowledge of drink spiking and drug rape, their policies on the subject, and to ask the current government what, if anything, they intend to do to comply with this UN report.
Links to the report and press coverage here: http://tinyurl.com/ybvpf3n
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Police pay compensation to victim of sexual assault for failures in investigation – December 2009 |
Cambridgeshire Police have recently made an out-of-court settlement of £3,500.00 to a woman who complained about the way investigations were carried out after she lodged an allegation of sexual assault.
The 38 year old woman was sexually assaulted in her home and then forced to a cash-point and made to with draw cash by her attacker, received the payment along with a letter apoligising for any distress or anxiety caused by the incident. A spokesperson for the force stated that an officer had been disciplined for their failure ‘to investigate (the) matter expeditiously’ and another was spoken to as it was felt that their record keeping was found to be ‘wanting’.
The incident was reported in December 2005 however it became apparent, in February 2006, that officers had not looked into her case. As a result vital CCTV footage from the bank had been erased.
The claim was brought under Article 3 of The Human Rights Act – the right not to be subject to inhumane and degrading treatment – and is the first time, as far as is known that The Human Rights Act has been used to hold the police accountable for failing to act in a thorough and proper manner.
As the claim was settled out-of-court, other courts or police forces are not bound by it in similar situations but it is hoped that it will be a shot across the bows to all police forces and a warning that if they fail to investigate a matter thoroughly there can be repercussions.
This is, I feel, a matter of particular relevance to victims of drink-spiking who often find themselves not believed by the police and whose reports are marked down as ‘non-crimes’; it is worth noting that the claimant in this matter suffers with a bi-polar disorder and this may be why her complaint was treated in such a lax fashion.
If any victim of a suspected drink-spike feels that the investigation into their claim were carried out in such a way as to prejudice the chances of an arrest or conviction then they may now be able to seek compensation for the distress caused by such.
Mike Massen – Gartons Solicitors
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.gartonsolicitors.co.uk
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Beware false profits…
Over the years there have been many companies selling products that are so called drink detector kits. A new one has just come to light operating out of East Anglia concentrating on distributing its products throughout the Ipswich area. However please be very careful when buying this product as it only tests drinks for Rohypnol and Ketamine.
It does not test for either GHB or GBL.
As frequent visitors to this web site know Cosmopolitan Magazine, with the support of The Roofie Foundation, recently launched a campaign to get GBL banned. If we didn’t consider it a threat we wouldn’t have contemplated this action. In our opinion, over the last three to four years, GHB, (currently a class c drug) is probably the most common drug used in the UK to commit drug facilitated sexual abuse (Drug Rape) and the use of GBL is increasing. This is due to a number of factors, one being that since the manufacturers of Rohypnol stopped producing the 2mg tablet, incidents of its use appear to have decreased. This is not to say misuse of this drug has stopped - but a product that claims to prevent drink spiking by identifying only two of the three main substances cannot assure a persons safety. Its like going out in the rain with an umbrella that is missing a third of its cover.
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Read more...
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Cosmo launches petition to ban date-rape drug GBL |
~ Dannii Minogue, Ulrika Jonsson and Ricky Hatton amongst celebrities to pledge their support ~
13th October 2008 – Cosmopolitan was shocked to discover that it is still legal to buy GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone), a chemical now being used to enable drug-rape attacks, in the UK. This is despite hundreds of women a year thought to be subject to drug-facilitated rapes and sexual abuse and the US banning the drug in 2000.
Cosmopolitan wants the government to make banning the substance a top priority and has launched a petition on www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/daterapepetition which it will present to the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.
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Read more...
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Drinking danger - The Press - York - Click here to view
Spiked drink ordeal of Miss York - The Press - York - Click here to view
Cabbie to face drug rape charges - BBC - click |
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