CALIF. (KERO) — Most women have been told to be careful on a night out and to “watch their drink” but a study shows that most women have stayed sober or simply not gone out to avoid getting their drink spiked.
A survey done by American Addictions Center shows that women are 56% more likely than men to have drinks or food spiked by a stranger. To further the data, another study of American students found that 7.8% reported that they had been drugged previously and 1.4% admitted that they had drugged someone.
Women don’t feel confident that even if they were drugged the law would be able to protect them. The original survey shows that 6% of women feel confident that their spiking assailants would be held accountable and 65% were not confident they would be held accountable.
It’s important to note that most of the drugs used to spike drinks have no color, smell or taste when added to a food or beverage. As much as prevention tactics try to help, it shifts the blame on the victim rather than the perpetrator.
Despite the many efforts of women to remain sober on a night out, even non-alcoholic drinks can be spiked. In a survey done by Alcohol.org, it shows that 7% of women who have been drugged were drinking non-alcoholic beverages.
There also been numerous inventions to figure out if your drink has been spiked or not. There’s a coin-sized drug test that you can keep on your keychain, a scrunchie that unzips to reveal a drink cover, color-changing nail polish, and a smart coaster.
Although, the study believes that the existence of these devices reinforces the idea that women need to be more careful and if they do get drugged it was ultimately because they didn’t take the necessary precautions.
When in fact, 1 in 5 women who have had their drinks spiked, the perpetrator was a friend.
It’s important to spot the signs for drinks being spiked or the symptoms it causes:
Rohypnol
- Extreme drowsiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Delayed heart rate & breathing, which can be fatal.
Ketamine
- Slowed cognitive & physical abilities
- Increased risk of hallucinations
- Loss of consciousness
- Increased blood pressure
- Dangerously slowed breathing.
MDMA
- May increase the risk of neurotoxic effects when combined with alcohol.
LSD
- Alcohol may increase LSD’s depressant effects, leading to extreme depressive symptoms.
GHB or GBL
- Alcohol’s depressant effects are greatly exacerbated
- Breathing becomes difficult
- Nausea
Benzodiazepine
- Compromised cognitive & physical abilities
- Increased risk of adverse effects to alcohol.
Alcohol
Overconsumption can lead to alcohol poisoning, which may cause:
- Decreased coordination
- Clouded judgement
- Breathing difficulty
- Vomiting
- Hypothermia
- Loss of consciousness.
