Pubdate: Wed, 14 Jul 2004
Source: Oakville Beaver (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004, Oakville Beaver
Contact:  http://www.haltonsearch.com/hr/ob/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1600
Author: Jason Misner

SEX ASSAULT PREVENTION GROUP TARGETS NIGHTCLUB CROWD

A regional sexual assault services group is taking its message on the road 
- -- actually to area nightclubs. The Oakville-based Sexual Assault and 
Violence Intervention Services of Halton (SAVIS) -- formerly the Halton 
Rape Crisis Centre -- set up its first information booth at Burlington's 
popular NRG/Kingdom nightclub last weekend to raise awareness about the 
dangers of date-rape drugs.

SAVIS intends to set up similar booths in Halton this summer, including one 
at Philthy Mcnasty's in Oakville in late August.

The NRG/Kingdom booth was set up near the club's front entrance, from 9:30 
p.m. until around midnight, to remind hundreds of party-goers expected to 
come through the doors each night to be cautious of their drinks possibly 
being spiked with potentially-fatal drugs.

The more common ones used are GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyrate) in liquid form 
and Rohypnol, in pill form, both marketed once as general anesthetics.

They can easily be slipped into a drink -- by the waving of a hand over a 
glass with drops from a tiny bottle -- putting a person, the target usually 
a female, into an altered, sometimes euphoric state and leaving them 
vulnerable to sexual assault.

Also, SAVIS members will discuss sexual assault in general and the help 
available for those in crisis.

Lyndsay Daniel, education co-ordinator for SAVIS, said the issue of 
date-rape drugs is a reality and having knowledge about what it is is the 
first step to people protecting themselves.

NRG, on Plains Road East, was chosen as the site of the first forum of this 
kind, she said, because it's popular with a diverse crowd of older and 
younger patrons.

The crowd will be all-ages tomorrow night and SAVIS wants to get its 
important message out to as many people as possible.

"It's better for them to see our faces to remind them to be safe and to be 
careful while in the process of picking up that drink that they may have 
left for the last five minutes," Daniel, 25.

"This is about awareness -- awareness with a capital 'A' -- and is not 
about finger pointing. I don't want to overwhelm the patrons."

One of the many dangers with date rape drugs, a serious concern since the 
mid-to late-90s, is that they tend to be odourless, colourless and 
tasteless. When slipped into a drink, it is virtually undetectable and 
makes unsuspecting people easy prey since they may black out and not 
remember the sexual assault.

Common street names for date rape drugs include Ruffies, Roofies, Forget 
Pill, Gook, Easy Lay among many others.

Halton police are thrilled SAVIS is taking a proactive approach to helping 
protect club-goers from sexual assault.

"Education is everything," said Det.-Const. Dave Stewart of the Drug and 
Morality Bureau of Halton Regional Police, adding the NRG venue is a great 
way to reach people to get them to listen. "It assists in the battle in 
dealing with this and preventing people from being victimized."

If out at a club, for example, Stewart urged if someone thinks they or a 
friend may have been drugged, seek medical attention immediately. And bring 
the drink with you so it can be tested. If it has been spiked, police can 
use it as evidence as part of an investigation, he said.

Daniel said the ultimate goal, she said, is to extend it to bars and clubs 
across Halton and to train bouncers and bar staff to recognize the signs of 
date-rape drug activity.

"By making a presence in the clubs, we can start to build a partnership," 
Daniel said.

SAVIS' 24-hour, confidential crisis number is 905-875-1555.

For more information, call SAVIS at 905-825-3622 or visit www.savisofhalton.org.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart