Women drinkers in Plymouth warned of date rape danger
BOOZE is the most common date-rape ‘drug’ in the South West, claim police.
The stark warning comes at the launch of National Rape Awareness Week and aims to highlight the potential dangers of excessive alcohol to young women, particularly during the party season around Christmas.
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Devon and Cornwall Constabulary are using the awareness week to promote a “safe drinking message” to the city’s young women who put themselves at risk of becoming victims while drunk.
Assistant Chief Constable Debbie Simpson said: “This isn’t just a festive message – however in the run up to Christmas a lot more alcohol tends to be consumed.
“We would like to ask young women to take note of the following tips if they are partying this Christmas: remember alcohol is the most common date rape drug; don’t drink so much that you are unable to say ‘no’; stay away from situations which make you feel uncomfortable; always pre-book a taxi through a licensed mini-cab office.
The force hope to remind young women of the acquaintance rape campaign message that was launched this summer: ‘Rapists are not always strangers’.
The key fact of the summer campaign was that in 80 percent of reported rapes, the victim had already met their attacker.
ACC Debbie Simpson said: “At least six out of ten rapes happen in a house or flat. It is more likely that a rapist is someone that the victim may have met and gone home with on a drunken night out rather than a stranger in a dark alleyway.”
Mike Scott-Ham, a toxicology expert with the Forensic Science Service, said drink spiking was extremely rare. He said: “Over the past 10 years, we have analysed thousands of samples of blood and urine from alleged ‘date-rape’ victims and have only come across one which contained Rohypnol and only two samples with GHB from instances of genuine ‘spiking’, despite use of ‘Rohypnol’ being detectable in urine samples taken three or four days after ingestion.
“The true reality of the problem is alcohol. Alcohol is the number one ‘date rape’ drug and I fully support the national rape awareness campaign in highlighting this fact.”
WARNING: content suitable for adults only. Devon and Cornwall police have released a rape awareness campaign video which will be shown in cinemas across the West Country.
Drink rape danger for young women.
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by mikethebike, plymouth
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 7:08AM
“She who knows states:ACC Debbie Simpson said: ¿At least six out of ten rapes happen in a house or flat. It is more likely that a rapist is someone that the victim may have met and gone home with on a drunken night out rather than a stranger in a dark alleyway.¿
Surely it should be alleged rape and if not this implies that 60% of rape cases before the courts is proven.
This in turn flies in the face of two of the country's great man lovers who are making every effort to ensure the laws of the land favour those who claim such offences have occurred and under the loosely veiled pile of cow dung that infers the law as it stands is biased toward the accused.
This is because only a very low number of cases ever get to court and those that do return a guilty verdict of less than whatever the acceptable percentage may or may not be.
Rape is a heinous crime and cannot be tolerated. However it does take two to tango and responsibillty for ones personal safety is on the whole down to the individual.
In my humble opinion the majority of these cases is down to regret/revenge/guilt or financial reward on the part of the claimant.
Getting P****d is no excuse for dropping ones guard, ask those who are regularly apprehended by ACC Simpson's Boys and girls.
Those stopped are frequently penalised with monetry fines despite offering the numpty excuse of being under the influence.
Perhaps the police should target those they feel are vunerable to rape with the same approach?”
by gaga, plymouth
Monday, November 30 2009, 10:27PM
“I`ve been raped,twice...years apart...once was supposed to be my friend who didn t cared less if i wanted to stay virgin when I was 18, and 4 year ago,at the now Oceania,went out for A DRINK, one after a very long long time without going out in a very special occasion, after my friend wedding, the grooms friend asked me too go for a drink, I was there, I was happy and then....nothing.I woke up next mornig with this stranger next to me....I had no idea where I was, or what did happend, but i was sure that I WASN T DRUNK .I didn t know about the drug in the drink back then.The thing is I got pregnat even with the next day pill, taken propely and abortion....I am dead inside, and I do not act like girls I ve seen around,so why did this happend to me again?Some men are just evil,woman should be more careful who to trust....but generally there is no value whatsoever....what do you get for a five minute of crime, or five minute with your hand a lots of fantasies?no jail, no a life time pain for girls like me....”
by Rita, plymouth
Monday, November 30 2009, 9:27PM
“Paul, u are sound! Wish there were more men out there like you in the world. Most of the others commenting on here are really letting the side down. Talk about bitter wiv chips on their shoulders!”
by Just a thought...a very serious one.., Plymouth
Monday, November 30 2009, 2:37PM
“This sort of thing really takes away from the very seroius crime of rape towards innocent women who walk along the street minding their own business, are not out of their tree on drink and drugs and flaunting themselves for all and sundry. So please keep the topic in perspective. Drunken predatory women are one thing but rape in the real sense destroys lives.”
by d, plymuff
Monday, November 30 2009, 1:51PM
“As Ian says, be careful, it is all too easy for a consenting female to cry rape the next day when she sobers up.
It is about time a false allegation is given the same penalty as the actual offence.”