Good Practice
Drug & Alcohol Assisted Rape
An Update from The Roofie Foundation
The Roofie Foundation is now Britain's only specialist agency operating in the area of drug related rape and sexual abuse and provides the only help-line operating on a 24 hour basis offering help, guidance and information to survivors of drug rape and sexual abuse through drink spiking. The organisation receives no funding and relies exclusively on donations to continue its work. It is neither pro nor anti drugs, has no political bias and has been founded solely with the intention of addressing the situation of drug related rape.
Statistical Update: July 2003
The latest breakdown of British survivors of the crime of drug related rape and sexual abuse through having their drinks spiked, as reported to the Roofie Foundation via their telephone help-line is listed in table 1.0 below
Table 1.0 - Drug Rape & Sexual Abuse (since 1940)
Male |
730 |
Female |
5728 |
|
Year of Reported Attack |
Victims |
Year of Reported Attack |
Victims |
2003 (to end June) |
360 |
1994 |
168 |
2002 |
935 |
1993 |
144 |
2001 |
916 |
1992 |
87 |
2000 |
876 |
1991 |
52 |
1999 |
778 |
1990 |
39 |
1998 |
535 |
1980s |
56 |
1997 |
392 |
1970s |
37 |
1996 |
341 |
1960s |
18 |
1995 |
231 |
1940s |
3 |
Table 1.1 Regional Breakdown
Region |
No. of Victims |
Increase from 2001 |
North East |
522 |
+120 |
North West |
429 |
+95 |
Midlands |
450 |
+144 |
East Anglia |
170 |
+48 |
London (incl. Greater London area) |
785 |
+177 |
South-East (excl. Greater London area) |
630 |
+167 |
South-West |
433 |
+102 |
Wales |
356 |
+97 |
Northern Ireland* |
488 |
+94 |
Eire |
166 |
+96 |
Unknown (victim did not give location) |
248 |
+66 |
British victims attacked abroad |
705 |
- |
Total |
6008 |
*Please note these figures do not include drug rape incidents reported to the Northern Irish branch of the Roofie Foundation organised by The Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre, Belfast.
Table 1.2 Where the Drug was Administered*
*Note - These figures include the incidents that occurred abroad
Table 1.3 Age of Victim
These figures show that this crime is still on the increase - yet very few of these case are ever reported to the police. The Roofie Foundation states that out of the incidents reported to them, less than 15% of victims have officially reported this crime to the police.
Similarly, due to the difficulty in gathering evidence very few of those cases that are reported ever reach court. It also has to be noted that many survivors phone in to report events that happened to them some years ago. Either they have just come to realise what really happened, or have just found the help-line number.
Recently it has been acknowledged that rape is the most under-reported crime in Britain and drug rape is likely to be reported even less. If we accept that only one in five rapes are ever reported and add this factor to the numbers reported on the Roofie help line, the true figure is in excess of 13,000! How many actual victims there are there that haven't reported the crime to the Roofie Foundation, the police or anyone?
The Police
The Roofie Foundation welcomes the increased awareness and sensitivity of police forces around the UK in the handling of drug related rape and sexual abuse and have assisted a number of forces, including Thames Valley, Essex, West Midlands and Northumberland forces in creating their own drink spiking awareness campaigns.
The Roofie Foundation still feels that leadership should be taken at the top and believes that the misuse of so called "date rape drugs" poses a greater threat than a drug such as ecstasy. To put things in perspective, according to official figures, there are between 1.5 - 1.75 million users of ecstasy every weekend, with a total of 111 recorded deaths in England between 1993 and 2001. The misuse of Rohypnol and other drugs such as GHB has led to over 5,500 rapes, leaving behind a trail of traumatized and shattered victims, their partners and their families.
Pubs and Breweries - Time Please
It should be of major concern to everyone but especially those working in the brewing industry that figures from the Roofie Foundation show the majority of victims had their drinks spiked in a pub or on a licensed premises. Despite many attempts to enlist the help of members of the brewing industry and despite a large article in the licensed trades' own press, to date no company or organisation in the brewery and leisure industry has shown any interest in the work being undertaken by the Roofie Foundation.
For further information, contact:
Graham Rhodes, Chief Executive, The Roofie Foundation or go to www.roofie.com
General & Press Inquiries - 01723 367 251/ Help Line number - 0800 783 2980
Last update: Last update: 11/11/03