Every day, college students are at risk of being slipped a date rape drug.

It can happen when you go out for drinks or accept food from someone you don’t know. It can happen when you accept food or drinks from someone you do know.

Anyone is at risk.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website, date rape drugs are those used to aid in sexual assault and are most commonly found in bars, nightclubs, raves and gyms.

The drugs include GHB, GBL and benzodiazepines such as rohypnol (roofies). Alcohol, by itself, can be used to aide sexual assault.

The DEA’s website describes date rape drugs as undetectable. They have no odor or taste. Once ingested, they quickly exit the body. Most people do not know they have been drugged because of memory loss, which can last up to 12 hours.

Unfortunately, knowing what to do when you or someone you know believes their food or drink has been spiked isn’t common knowledge. However, students have many places that they can turn to for help.

UCF offers assistance and programs such as Victim Services with Prevention and Intervention Services, the on-campus Health Center and the UCF Police Department.
Victim Services offers advocacy services to assist members of the UCF community who have been victimized.

Advocates are available to assist students if they wish to seek counseling, medical attention or file a police report. It is an advocate’s job to guide them through the process of their choosing.

“We are a 24-hour program, so someone can access an advocate 24 hours a day,” said Christine Mouton, coordinator advocate for UCF Victim Services. “Initially, it’s a phone call. They can explain to the advocate what the situation is, and then based on the situation, the advocate can give them options.”

Victims can choose to access forensic exams, file a police report and make emergency appointments at the women’s clinic or counseling center.

Letters to professors for students whose class schedule may have been affected are also provided. The letters do not disclose any information.

Even if you are not the person who has been victimized, it is always best to help someone seek help for himself or herself.

“You can’t make somebody come, but you can just be that person that says there are resources on campus that will help you and that they are confidential,” Mouton said.
Victim Services is located off campus on Research Parkway.

“We’re in the same building as the medical school, so it’s confidential. No one would know that person was coming into our office,” Mouton said.

Victim Services also has an e-mail service called “Ask an Advocate.”

“If anyone has a question or concern they can always e-mail ‘Ask an Advocate,’ and they will get a response,” Mouton said. “They will get some direction, some options, referrals. They can schedule for an appointment to come in and meet with an advocate, or they can just talk to an advocate over the phone.”

There is not a set-in-stone reaction to being a victim. Mouton said every victim is different and should do what is comfortable for him or her.

“It’s really different for everybody, because everybody is unique, and everybody has already had different life experiences once they get to that point,” she said. “If they want to know what their options are, they aren’t sure what to do or they just feel traumatized and unsure of what’s available, then obviously the best thing is to call the advocate.”

Mouton said that help can be offered at any time, even days after a crime occurred.

If the victim wishes to report to the police, the sooner they seek help, the better. Forensic evidence can be collected up to 72 hours after a crime.

The UCF Police Department can take a report, find out if the victim wishes to press charges, or do an investigation if the suspect is unknown and the victim wants to prosecute.

According to Officer Jeannette Emert of the UCF police, the best course of action if one believes he or she has been given a date rape drug is to seek medical attention.

“First, as soon as a person thinks something has been given to them, they should go to an emergency room with someone else driving,” Emert said. “A friend, parent or even an ambulance will do. Next, as the victim, decide what you want to do about it.”

Emert also said that a victim should have some form of identification and an idea of what happened.

It is helpful for victims to know when their food or drink was left unattended.

If someone is not the victim but knows someone who is, it is best to stay by the person and be prepared to offer as much information as possible to the police.

“It depends on if it’s a person known or if this is a stranger kind of thing,” Emert said. “If it’s a friend, I would hope they’d stay close and go to the hospital with the possible victim. But at the very least, be aware of their health.”

In order to be safe and have fun when drinking, Emert advised students to stay with friends. Students should also be aware of their surroundings.

According to the UCF Police Department’s website, students should never leave their drinks unattended. If a bartender is preparing someone’s drink, it is best to watch the drink being made.

Students should always go out with friends and have a designated driver. If something happens, they should seek medical attention right away.

“Have a plan of action of what to do so you don’t panic if it happens to you or your friend,” Emert said.

Being slipped a date rape drug is a situation that is completely avoidable. UCF Prevention and Intervention Services offer programs so students can learn how to make healthy decisions when it comes to drugs and alcohol.

“The REAL Project” offers a program called Concealed Weapons.

“During this program, students have the opportunity to learn about the possibility of drug-induced sexual assault and how to avoid becoming a victim of nonconsensual drug use and/or sexual assault,” said Stephanie Spies, program coordinator of Prevention and Intervention Services.

The program also addresses consent to sex and  how to make safer decisions when it comes to alcohol and its impact on decision-making and sex.

According to Spies, alcohol is the No. 1 date rape drug. This is because alcohol is easy to access, legal if you are older than 21 and people do not think of it as a date rape drug.

Spies said that date rape drugs such as GHB and rohypnol are less common than they used to be, but students still need to take steps to prevent themselves from being slipped something.

Iris Y. Cruz, assistant director of UCF Prevention and Intervention Services, urged those who believe they have been given a date rape drug to contact Victim Services.

“Understandably, a student in such a situation may feel scared or alone, and our clinicians help students become connected to resources available to them,” Cruz said.  “In doing so, our goal is to empower students to get the support that they may need to effectively cope with such a difficult event in their life.  Additionally, we provide students with information that can help them change their alcohol use in order to decrease the likelihood of another such event  from occurring in the future.”