Instances of woman being sexually assaulted after having their drinks spiked with a “date rape” drug are increasing on the Island, concerning Police and the Sexual Assault Response Team as the Christmas party season nears.

A young American tourist had a near escape in October when the suspected date rape drug Rohypnol was slipped into her drink at a Hamilton city bar. She was saved by a concerned friend who witnessed the suspicious actions of two men who ‘cornered’ the woman as she showed the effects of having been drugged.

The woman was taken to hospital where doctors confirmed she was exhibiting symptoms of having taken Rohypnol.

In a period of one week SART was made aware of six sexual assaults that mostly involved some form of drug being used on the victim. Against those statistics, which point to 2006 being a worse year for sexual assaults than 2005 when more than 30 cases were reported, the multi-agency SART is issuing urgent advice.

And it comes as the Rebecca Middleton Conscience Trust prepares to introduce easy-to-use detection strips to the Island to help women identify if their drink has been spiked. However, the new detection materials, bearing the name of the teenager murdered in a sexual attack in Bermuda in 1996, are not expected to arrive until the new year.

SART chairperson Anne Mello said: “While all drug-facilitated sexual assaults, including those involving the use of alcohol, have been a concern for some time, the rising number of incidents involving date rape drugs is particularly disturbing.”

“We believe the public should know this is occurring and these drugs are being used to incapacitate individuals for the purposes of committing a crime, usually sexual assault.”

She added: “I want the public to be aware of the existence of SART and to know we are always ready to provide whatever physical and emotional care and treatment is needed by victims of sexual assault and to gather the forensic evidence needed to obtain convictions of the perpetrators of these crimes.”

One of the problems faced by SART and the Police is the reluctance of victims to come forward and report assaults.

Without evidence and information it is harder to track where and how date rape drugs are being used. The reluctance is normally because of a misplaced feeling of shame or embarrassment.

Judith Brewster, SART programme co-ordinator said: “Victims are ashamed, because it is a small community they are embarrassed. I have had a couple say they are leaving the island and another lady say that she will not go out again.

“We have had an increase in sexual assaults in general. However, drug-facilitated sexual assault the individual is given a drug that renders them incapable of making consent to sexual assault.”

She said the common drugs used range from alcohol to powerful sedatives such as Rohypnol which, when mixed with alcohol, can be deadly and ten times more potent than valium. Another drug called GHV can be used in powder form.

Ms Brewster said women out at a bar or nightclub should look out for any discoloration of their drink, sediment in the bottom of the glass, a change in the drink’s texture, or if the drink is foamy even though it is not a beer drink.

The woman most often targeted are within the 18 to 36-year-old age range.

“It is not wise to accept a drink from a stranger. One young woman was saying that the bartender told her someone was sending her drinks but she did not know who it was,” she added. “I say if you leave your drink and come back then throw it away, don’t even touch it.”

If alcohol is a factor it can take the drugs less than 15 minutes to react, causing the victim to feel a variety of symptoms such as being drowsy, uninhibited, lose their gait, and vomit.

A crucial thing for victims to remember is the need to preserve as much evidence as possible and be tested for date rape drug. Urine and blood samples are important and victims should not brush teeth, change their clothing, or go to the toilet if they can help it until they have been tested by a doctor.

Penny Dill, of the Women’s Resource Centre, said: “To get a grasp on the extent of the problem and leading up to festive season is to have these people report to the Police.

“We need concrete facts. We need people to go to hospital if they think they have had the drug to have themselves tested. They need to report to the Police. We need to find out if there are people targeting others and see if there is a pattern forming.”

She added: “We don’t want to discourage women going out and enjoying themselves, we say have someone with you, a buddy system, so that if you are not feeling well or you’re acting strange someone with you does not just assume it is the alcohol because it may be something else.”

And Police Supt. Sinclair White said if anyone witnesses a drink being tampered with: “They should report it immediately to the on-duty manager, bring it to the attention of the bartender and the security staff and have them call the Police.”

Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a date rape crime or been exposed to a date rape drug should call 911 immediately, this will activate a call out of a member of SART. The Women’s Resource Centre crisis hotline is 295-7273.