Date Rape Drugs (Understanding Drugs)

Date rape drugs earn their name from the primary motivation for their use: to facilitate sexual assault against an unwitting victim. Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), ketamine, and Rohypnol are the three main types of drugs referred to as date rape drugs, though alcohol is the most common drug used to facilitate date rape. Although each of these drugs differs in their effect on the body, they all act as sedatives, frequently causing unconsciousness and amnesia. Easily dissolved in liquids, a date rape drug placed in a victim's drink can be consumed unknowingly and render the victim unconscious. After the drugs wears off, amnesia about previous events increases the chances that the assailant is never caught. Date Rape Drugs alerts readers to the dangers these drugs pose, how to recognize and avoid them, and how to protect themselves against them.