Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jul 2008
Source: Jasper Booster (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 The Jasper Booster
Contact:  http://www.jasperbooster.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/788
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs)

PREDATORY DRUGS A THREAT BUT THERE IS HELP IN JASPER

Sexual Predators Are Everywhere, Even In Jasper.

HIV West Yellowhead said reports of drug assisted assaults are on the 
low this year, but so-called "date rape" drugs are very much a threat 
in the community.

And because most victims fail to report the crime out of shame or 
fear of tainting their reputations in a small town, there are no 
conclusive figures to determine just how prevalent drug assisted 
assaults are in Jasper.

What is clear, however, is that no person, regardless of gender or 
age, can be 100 per cent protected.

The reality is that wherever drinking is involved, all people need to 
be on guard.

Likewise, anyone from a complete stranger to a supposed friend could 
perpetrate an assault.

Perpetrators scope out naive bar-goers who leave their drink 
unattended for a brief moment, or for a longer window of opportunity, 
when a victim steps out for a cigarette or takes a trip to the washroom.

But people don't necessarily have to leave their drinks unwatched to 
be vulnerable to an attack.

While GHB, Rophypnol and Ketamine are widely considered as the major 
date rape drugs, alcohol, an accessible and socially acceptable 
substance, is most prevalently involved when it comes to drug 
assisted assaults.

According to a University of Alberta study, more than half of all 
sexual assaults in young adults occur under the influence of alcohol.

Like any other drug, perpetrators use alcohol to incapacitate their 
victims, to silence them and to stifle any resistance to the attack.

The good news is that there are many community outreach groups 
available to Jasperites.

Some, like HIV West Yellowhead, are taking a preventative approach to 
warn people of potential predators, and to teach them how they can 
protect themselves using realistic measures, like the buddy system. 
And should someone fall victim to sexual violence, the local 
hospital, victim services unit and community outreach services are 
all there to help survivors recover from the traumatic ordeal.

Unfortunately, with a justice system that relies on concrete 
evidence, victims of drug assisted assaults are often left with 
little resource to prosecute their attackers.

Survivors often have incomplete recollections of the attack and most 
date rape drugs are untraceable in urine and the bloodstream after 72 
hours. That, combined with feelings of powerlessness and self-blame, 
can hinder a victim from reporting the attack or seeking the 
appropriate help they need.

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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom