Myths and Facts about Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault
You wake up in a strange bed. Your head is pounding, your muscles ache, and you have no memory of the night before. The last thing you remember is heading to a party with some friends - everything after that is gone. Then, a memory fires in your mind. You’re not sure, but you think you’ve been drugged and sexually assaulted.
This scenario is what most people think of when they think of drug-facilitated sexual assault – a woman being assaulted after having “date-rape” drugs such as Rohypnol® (“Roofies”) slipped into her drink. In reality, this only represents a small piece of the bigger picture of this terrible crime. To help get the record straight, here are some myths, facts and tips from www.sexualityandu.ca:
Myth: A person has to be drugged to become a victim of drug-facilitated
sexual assault
Fact: Though these crimes are usually depicted this way on TV or movies, drug-facilitated sexual assault is more often committed by an offender who targets an intoxicated victim.
Myth: These crimes are always committed with “date-rape” drugs
Fact: The most common drug involved in drug-facilitated sexual assault is not Rohypnol® - it’s alcohol. An offender may assault an intoxicated woman who does not give her consent, or take advantage of a woman after she has blacked out. He may also pressure her to drink heavily or mix her drinks extra strong.
Myth: If a woman is sexually assaulted after she gets really drunk, it’s partly her fault because she was asking for it.
Fact: Only one person is responsible for sexual assault – the person who commits it. Being intoxicated - through alcohol or any other drug - is NEVER an invitation for sex.
Myth: Only teenaged girls are victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault.
Fact: Statistically, women between 16 and 24 are at highest risk of being sexually assaulted; however, anyone can become a victim of drug-facilitated sexual assault, regardless of age, sexual orientation, and even gender.
Myth: These crimes are always committed by strangers
Fact: Most sexual assaults are committed by friends or acquaintances of the victim.
Myth: Drug-facilitated sexual assaults are very uncommon.
Fact: About twenty-five percent of women report that drugs were a factor in a rape. However, because drug-facilitated sexual assault is a highly underreported crime, no one can say for sure just how often it happens.
It is never a victim’s responsibility to prevent an assault, but the following tips can help you have a safe and fun time when at a bar, a party, or just out with friends.
- If you plan to get intoxicated, be aware of your surroundings and the people you’re with. If you feel the need to sleep or feel you may pass out, consider asking a trusted and sober friend for a ride home.
- Avoid leaving your drink unattended, and if your drink ever tastes, looks or smells strange, don’t drink it.
- Use a buddy system if you go out with your friends; keep an eye on them and have them keep an eye on you.
- If you suspect you may have been drugged, particularly if you feel “way too intoxicated” or extremely drowsy, get help immediately.
New lower price for NuvaRing® contraceptive
On February 6th, Organon Canada announced that it was lowering the price for its vaginal contraceptive called NuvaRing®. Recently made available in Canada, NuvaRing® is a soft, flexible plastic ring that is inserted into the vagina, where it slowly releases the hormones estrogen and progestin for a three-week period. These hormones enter the bloodstream and provide highly effective contraception, and work in much the same way as the combined oral contraceptive pill.
Effective immediately, NuvaRing® will be available for $14.01 each (each ring provides contraception for one month), or $42.03 for a three-ring pack plus pharmacy dispensing fees.
Ontario Pharmacists Remove History Forms for Emergency Contraception
In a December 15, 2005 news release, the Ontario College of Pharmacists announced they are withdrawing the “Screening Form for Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs)” from Ontario pharmacies. The form was created by the Canadian Pharmacists’ Association for pharmacists to use to collect personal identification information on women requesting Plan B. However, Plan B does not require a prescription, and the use of the form raised concerns about maintenance of confidentiality. In fact, there is no medical reason for pharmacists to obtain this information in order to do their jobs.
In the statement, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, noted that “Personally identifiable information should not be recorded except when requested by a client for reimbursement purposes, or in those rare instances where it is deemed important for continuity of care of the patient.”
Pharmacists have been asked to continue to collect some information that will allow them to calculate how many requests for emergency contraception are appropriate. This will not interfere with confidentiality.
Website from Information and Privacy Commissioner
http://www.ipc.on.ca/scripts/index_.asp?action=31&P_ID=16671&N_ID=1&PT_ID=13169&U_ID=0
Previous Unplanned Pregnancy Does Not Improve Contraception Use
One of the concerns of health care providers in Canada and the United States is the rising number of unplanned pregnancies and subsequent pregnancy terminations. Various research groups are trying to identify the factors associated with having one or more unplanned pregnancies to see where possible educational or other changes can be made to address these statistics.
Dr. Matteson’s group in Rhode Island, USA, took a group of women aged 14-25 at high risk for unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (no use or irregular use of birth control and condoms) and asked them to fill out a questionnaire. Of the 424 women who participated, 242 women had not had a previous unplanned pregnancy while 182 women had had a previous unplanned pregnancy.
Approximately two-thirds of each group were using some form of contraception. The first “unplanned pregnancy” group was more likely to be using an injectable form of birth control. Surprisingly, women who had had a previous unplanned pregnancy were not more likely to use contraception. Even more disturbing was the fact that 34% of the women who stated they did not want to be pregnant in the next two years were not using any form of birth control.
Health care providers need to take every opportunity to reinforce messages about effective contraception and safer sex in high risk populations.
Matteson, KA, Peipert, JF, Allsworth, J, Phipps, MG, Redding, CA. Unplanned Pregnancy: Does Past Experience Influence the Use of a Contraceptive Method? Obstetrics & Gynecology. 107(1):121-127, January 2006.
Australian Researchers Look at Causes of Non-Gonococcal Urethritis
Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It affects both men and women, though it is more common in men. As implied by its name, it is caused by infectious agents other than gonorrhea, most likely chlamydia. In up to 50% of cases of non-gonococcal urethritis, no infectious cause could be found.
Dr. Bradshaw and other researchers in Australia studied 636 men, both heterosexual and homosexual, of whom 329 had symptoms of NGU, and 307 did not. After taking a history and having the men fill out a questionnaire, the symptomatic men were tested with a urethral swab and a urine sample. The asymptomatic men just gave a urine sample. These samples were tested for several different bacteria and viruses.
Chlamydia trachomatis (20%), Mycoplasma genitalium (9%), adenoviruses (4%), and Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV) (3%) were found more commonly in men with symptoms. There were several other bacteria isolated from the specimens, but they were much less common.
Two viruses (adenovirus and HSV) were found more often in men who have unprotected oral sex or sex with a male partner. Also, it was found that some men who were infected with an HSV virus had no previous symptoms (typically painful sores on the genital skin and a flu-like illness).
Although this study does not give us the final answer for all causes of NGU, it has documented many of the common causes and identified some sexual behaviors associated with NGU. Finally, the researchers note that NGU should be treated based on symptoms, as there was not a significant association between microscopic specimen exam and symptoms.
Bradshaw CS, Tabrizi SN, Read TR, Garland SM, Hopkins CA, Moss LM, Fairley CK. Etiologies of nongonococcal urethritis: bacteria, viruses, and the association with orogenital exposure. J Infect Dis. 2006 Feb 1;193(3):336-45.
