Some 80,000 posters will be distributed to pubs, clubs and colleges this week in a campaign to highlight the threat of drug-assisted rape.
This type of rape involves the spiking of victims' drinks in pubs and clubs, making them helpless in fending off an attack. More than 130 people who contacted member centres of Rape Crisis Network last year said they were victims of drug-assisted rape. This was almost double the number of such reports, 70 in 2000.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre receives at least one telephone call a week from people who believe they were victims of drug-assisted rape.
Initially, the victim may have little or no recollection of the attack. By the time he or she realises what has happened, it may be too late to get medical evidence.
Rohypnol is the drug most commonly associated with drug-assisted rape but the campaign also highlights the role of alcohol in sexual assaults.
The National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women, under the aegis of the Department of Justice, launched the poster campaign yesterday.
Four different posters highlight the dangers of drug-assisted rape and/or robbery. They highlight the danger of leaving drinks unattended and advise people to never accept a drink from anyone they do not trust. The campaign also warns that drug-assisted rape is not only a women's issue. "Sexual assault can happen to men as well as women. All the precautions suggested above apply equally to men," the campaign warns.
Launching the campaign yesterday, Mr Willie O'Dea, chairman of the steering committee, said there had been "a worrying increase" in the number of sexual offences recently and he said drug-assisted offences were a growing concern.
"Drug assisted rape is a despicable crime which can render a person mentally and physically helpless for a period of time," he said. "I can only imagine the trauma of not really knowing if something terrible has happened to you, of trying to piece together the events of a night which you cannot remember, but which may haunt you for a long time to come."
Mr O'Dea urged people to report such incidents early to increase the chances of bringing the perpetrator to justice. The posters will be distributed by the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, the Licensed Vintners Association, rape crisis centres and third-level bodies. The committee is also considering extending the campaign to Leaving Certificate students.
Meanwhile, the concerns of community drugs workers have been highlighted in a report by students on the UCD community drugs work diploma course. The report Community drugs work: past, present and future said low levels of pay, lack of funding and heavy workloads were the main problems.
