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Peterellis.org.nz
Home / Moral Panics / Drug
Rape urban myth Drug-rapes
- Taranaki Hysteria December 2006 |
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At least nine Taranaki women now
believe they are drug-rape victims. On Wednesday, Taranaki's rape
crisis centres issued a region-wide alert when they realised an unprecedented
seven women had reported drug-rapes to them. One of the victims – who has not
been to police – needed medical attention following a brutal attack at the
weekend. Yesterday, Safer Centre
spokeswoman Lorraine Jans said two more New Plymouth women have now rung the
crisis line to report drug rapes. It was suspected more would come
forward after this week's publicity – and this is what has happened, she
says. But while the first incidents to
be reported took place over the last week, the latest allegedly occurred in
November. "These two are so distressed.
They are really, really traumatised. I don't think they will be going to
police." Rape crisis centres can offer
victims both support and healing, she says. While some police had said the
women could have drunk too much, she wanted to make it clear that drug-rape
medication could also make them appear drunk. "Used with alcohol, they can
be used to dull the senses." Party drugs, used in high
quantities, are also very dangerous, Ms Jans says. Hawera Rape Crisis manager Pam
Bassett says the women she is dealing with are very confused over what
happened to them. After speaking to victims, Ms
Bassett says it appears there could be a range of perpetrators involved. The
ages of the victims are between 19 and 53. "The calls that we have are
not all young women." One incident appeared to be
particularly brutal, with the victim needing medical attention, Ms Bassett
said. Police are urging the women to
report the incidents, so they can investigate. Detective Senior Sergeant Grant
Coward says drug rape investigations could be difficult, but there are often
crime scenes, such as bars, involved and police had ways to investigate,
including looking at security footage. "Sometimes there is
consistency of offending," he said. Ms Bassett says two of the women
have already spoken to police. "These women have to be
incredibly brave to go through the police process, and for two of them to be
doing that is excellent and I commend them on doing that," she said. Ms Bassett says victims should be
aware they do not necessarily have to press charges. But they can still talk
to police, accompanied by a chosen support person, so that police are made
aware of what was happening. "We are advising them to go
to police – both for other women's sakes and themselves. "It is often the court
process that scares them." Some of the women know who their
attackers are. This information is invaluable to police, she says. Meanwhile Stacey Lamb, the New
Plymouth owner-manager of 55 nightclub, says bar owners are concerned at the
negative publicity hitting their industry. "We're not saying it doesn't
happen, but we're doing everything possible to make sure it doesn't happen in
our establishment." While it was nearly impossible to
spot anyone spiking a drink, no bars should allow anyone suspected of being
drugged to leave the premises without ensuring they got assistance. "They should never leave the
premises in that state." The victim should be taken to
hospital, taken home or looked after. "If they are leaving in a
drugged-up state, they (staff) are not doing their job." |
