10 Things You Oughta Know About... Date Rape

Mike Hardcastle,

1. Date Rape is forced or coerced sex between; partners, dates, friends, friends of friends or general acquaintances.
2. Date Rape can be coerced both physically and emotionally - some emotional tactics include; threats to reputation, threats to not like you, name calling, saying you "brought it on" or "really want it", threats to break up and threats to say you did it even if you didn't.
3. If a person has had too much to drink or is on drugs they can not consent to sex and having sex with them is legally rape.
4. There are certain date rape drugs that render the victim unconscious and limit memory; using these drugs on somebody carries a harsher penalties than date rape and is a federal crime with a possible 20 year sentence. (See: 1996 Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act)
5. Rohypnol, GHB, ActiveSeX, Roofies, Ruffies, Roche, R-2, Rib and Rope are all names describing a date rape drug. These drugs are odorless and tasteless and difficult to detect when in drinks or mixed with other drugs.
6. Date rape drugs may be difficult to trace but evidence of intercourse is not, and in cases where use of these drugs is suspected evidence of rape standards are lower.
7. If you don't want to have sex, say NO like you mean it and fight it off if you have to - despite urban myths, people who fight off a rapist are more likely to stop the rape.
8. Date Rape is the most common form of rape (78%) with 1 in 4 girls expected to fall victim to rape or attempted rape before they reach 25, and 3 out of 5 rapes occuring before a woman reaches age 18.
9. Although girls are more often victims of rape, guys are not safe - they can be raped too.
10. NO MEANS NO! If a person says no to sex (no matter how quietly or unconvincingly) and you go ahead with it anyway, that is rape.