The Forensic Nurse

Its an older video of Dateline, but it again demonstrates the prevelance of date rape drug use like GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid) and Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2udrpuNxcmM

Rape and sexual assault is often a “he said -  she said” crime that can be interpreted many different ways depending on your point of view.

It can be even more difficult to try and prove the sexual activity was unwanted in drug faciliated sexual assaults where the victim is incapacitated or even a seemingly actively engaged participant in sexual acts as a result of drugs and/or alcohol.

The Book, Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault: A Forensic Handbook tries to delve into the problems and scenarios that can arise in these types of cases. Tackling such issues like, wether the victim willingly ingested the drugs/alcohol, but didn’t want to consent to sex, or if the drugs were given under fraudulent or surreptitious conditions.

http://www.amazon.com/Drug-Facilitated-Sexual-Assault-Forensic-Handbook/dp/0124402615/ref=pd_sim_b_title_4

Pasha Grishuk  a two time olympic gold medalist in figure skating was drugged using the date rape drug GHB while at a business meeting in Los Angeles last week.

Grishuk who skated for the Russian olympic team during the 1990’s was at the St. Regis Monarch Beach when she began to feel the effects of the drug kicking in.

She was at a business meeting with at least one man, and while waiting in the lounge for a table, had a glass of red wine. When she began to feel numb and uneasy she noticed the pill still disolving in the bottom of her wine glass. She removed the pill and called for an ambulance.

The substance of the pill was later confirmed to be gamma hydroxybutyric acid or GHB. The substance was found in an earlier drink of Grishuk as well. It is unclear on how or who placed the substance into her drinks.  she was taken to a hospital by ambulance and later released.

4women.gov is a goverment website from the US Department of health and human services. they offer some information about date rape drugs that may be of interest if you want to learn more about what types of drugs are currently being used, or if you suspect that you may be the victim of such a drug.

http://www.4women.gov/FAQ/rohypnol.htm