SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ROOFIE AWARENESS April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and is a significant reminder that sexual assault, roofie awareness, and personal safety are important topics throughout the year. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. You can find additional statistics and resources such as “Understanding Consent”, “Safety and Prevention”, and more at www.rainn.org. The best tip for preventing sexual assault is: don’t sexually assault someone. While this is the best way to prevent sexual assault, below are some tips to help prevent exposure to date rape drugs and predators with harmful intentions. There are more than fifty predatory drugs that can be used to sedate someone. These drugs, including rohypnol, ketamine, and GHB, are often known as “roofies” or “date rape drugs”. These predatory drugs relax the body and can feel similar to being drunk. As they pass through your system their effect increases. This can lead to confusion, breathing trouble, blurred vision, and memory loss. These drugs stay in the bloodstream for approximately four hours and testing for them often yields little or no evidence. This makes it very difficult to prove and even harder to prosecute. Below are some tips to help prevent exposure to these drugs and predators with harmful intentions. If you are drinking: • Be Aware of Strange Smells or Flavors. If the drink is hazy or doesn’t taste like it normally should, don’t drink it. Be sure to pour it out so that no one else drinks it. • Cover Your Cup. Never set down or lose sight of your drink. Hold the cup by covering it with your palm. • Order Your Own Drinks. Don’t accept any beverages from strangers or people you don’t trust. It is safer to only accept drinks directly from the bartender. • Avoid Community Containers. Say no to drinks made in a punch bowl or pitchers. Instead, go for a canned or bottled beverage that hasn’t been opened. • Don’t Share Drinks with Others. You don’t know if your friend has kept a watchful eye on their cup. People can have very different reactions to the same drug. This means they could have ingested something harmful and not feel it’s effects yet. • Sip Your Drink Slowly. Taking time to consume your beverage gives you more time to become aware of any symptoms which can indicate your drink has been altered.