An Estimate of the Proportion of Drug-Facilitation of Sexual Assault in Four U.S. Localities

:  In recent years, drugs including flunitrazepam, gamma‐hydroxybutyrate, ketamine, and ethanol, have become popularly associated with drug‐facilitated sexual assault. Other drugs are also candidates as factors in “drug facilitated sexual assault” (DFSA). The true extent of DFSA is not known, and is...

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Published in:Journal of forensic sciences 2007-11, Vol.52 (6), p.1396-1400
Main Authors: Juhascik, Matthew P., Negrusz, Adam, Faugno, Diana, Ledray, Linda, Greene, Pam, Lindner, Alice, Haner, Barbara, Gaensslen, R.E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Amitriptyline - analysis
Central Nervous System Depressants - analysis
Cocaine - analysis
Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - analysis
Doxylamine - analysis
Dronabinol - analysis
drug facilitated sexual assault
Drugs
Ethanol - analysis
Female
Flunitrazepam - analysis
forensic science
Forensic sciences
Forensic Toxicology
Hair
Hair - chemistry
Histamine H1 Antagonists - analysis
Humans
Hydromorphone - analysis
Male
Narcotics - analysis
Nortriptyline - analysis
Oxazepam - analysis
Oxycodone - analysis
Psychotropic Drugs - analysis
Sex crimes
Sex Offenses
sexual assault
Substance Abuse Detection
Toxicology
United States
Urine
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Summary::  In recent years, drugs including flunitrazepam, gamma‐hydroxybutyrate, ketamine, and ethanol, have become popularly associated with drug‐facilitated sexual assault. Other drugs are also candidates as factors in “drug facilitated sexual assault” (DFSA). The true extent of DFSA is not known, and is difficult to estimate. We recruited sexual assault complainants at four clinics in different parts of the U.S. to anonymously provide urine and hair specimens, and to answer questions about suspected drugging, drug use, and the sexual assault incident. Urine and hair specimens were tested for 45 drugs, including ethanol, and those pharmacologically capable of inducing sedation, amnesia, or impairment of judgment. Analytical test results were used to estimate the proportion of subjects, and the proportion of all complainants to the clinic in the same time period, who were victims of DFSA. Overall, cases of 43% of 144 subjects, and 7% of 859 complainants, were characterized as DFSA. Subjects underreported their use of drugs. The role of toxicological results and history in characterizing DFSA cases is discussed.
ISSN:0022-1198
1556-4029
DOI:10.1111/j.1556-4029.2007.00583.x