GHB, Rohypnol, & Ketamine

GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine are major drugs which are widely used to incapacitate victims so that they cannot resist the actions of a rapist and so have been called “date rape drugs.”

GHB (Street names: GHB, Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Georgia Home Boy, just to name a few)

GHB creates a feeling of deep sedation and produces effects similar to alcohol.  When mixed with alcohol, GBH can cause loss of consciousness, coma, difficulty breathing, or death.  

Rohypnol (Street names: Roofies, Roach, Mind Eraser, just to name a few)

Rohypnol produces profound and prolonged sedation, drowsiness, a feeling of well-being, and short-term memory loss.  The primary pattern of abuse involves mixing these drugs with alcohol. Also, Rohypnol can be lethal when mixed with alcohol and/or other depressants.

Ketamine (Street names: Special K, Ket, Vitamin K, Kit Kat, just to name a few)

Ketamine is a general anesthesia which creates a feeling of euphoria, distort judgement and communication, and has been known to result in loss of consciousness. The powdered form can be snorted, mixed into drinks, or smoked. The liquid form can be injected or inserted into liquid drinks.

Safety Tips

1)  Get your own drinks & watch your drink at all times.

Do not accept any beverage (especially alcoholic beverages) from someone you do not know or trust.  At a bar, accept a drink from a bartender or wait staff only.  Always watch your drink at bars and parties- never leave your drink unattended.  Don’t drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance (e.g., salty taste, excessive foam, or an unexplained residue).  Always drink responsibly- not to the point of intoxication.

2)  Look out for yourself and others.

Go out with a group of friends and watch out for one another.  Should a friend appear more inebriated than they should be (considering the amount of alcohol consumed), closely monitor their behavior.  Do not hesitate to seek medical assistance (call 911) if a person is difficult to awaken, appears to have difficulty breathing, or is behaving in an uncharacteristic way.

3)  Be aware of your surroundings.

Keep a general eye on your immediate area.  Always check the location of exit doors upon entering a new space so that you know all available means out should an emergency arise.  

4)  Watch your personal and valuable property.

Don’t carry excessive cash.  Protect your wallet, money, and other valuable property.

5)  Socialize in a public setting.

If you feel pressured into having sex or are made to feel afraid, you have the right to protest, leave, and get to a safe place.  This is far easier to do in a public setting.  Always trust your instincts.

6)  Get to know a person and introduce them to others.

When meeting persons for the first time, get to know as much about them as possible.  Introduce them to friends and/or the bartender.  Look for unique traits (e.g., tatoos, scars, jewelry).  To prevent becoming a victim of a “pick-up crime,” always take the time to get to know a person first.  

7)  Trust your gut feelings.

Don’t leave anywhere with a person you feel uncomfortable about.

8)  Communicate your sexual desires and limits clearly.

Know your limits.  Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Respect someone when they say “no” and believe what they say.  A person has the right to change their mind at any time.  Sex by force is a crime that is punishable by law- even where the person is familiar to you.  Click here for a list of support services.

In addition to the above, there is sexual assault prevention information available at the security information bins located at the Safety-On-The-Run literature rack at first floor of 53 Worth Street near the entrance to the Broad Student Center.  Feel free to share this information with family and friends.

Seek Support

Students-
Seek out support from a friend, family member, staff, or a faculty member. We strongly encourage victims of sexual assault to contact staff in the Office of Student Life (Office: 57 Worth Street, Fifth Floor, 212-431-2851).