The Latest Campus Threat: Date Rape Drugs

Atty. Gen. Janet Reno was in Los Angeles this week to launch a national effort to warn college students about the dangers of Rohypnol and GHB, two powerful drugs known as “date rape drugs.” DEBORAH BELGUM spoke with student peer counselors about what is being done to increase awareness. MICHAEL CHIFALO

23, a USC graduate student and a trained peer counselor

We talk to students in the residence halls and apartments and go the fraternities and sororities to talk to them.

As far as we know, we haven’t had any cases where there was proof of the use of Rohypnol or GHB. But we are concerned. There has been a big educational push on these issues because of what is going on.

Just because we don’t have proof these drugs were used on this campus doesn’t mean that they weren’t; few people report sexual assault and rape. National statistics show that only one out of 10 victims reports assaults or rapes.

Many times, the person reporting the incident doesn’t do so until long after the crime occurred, too late to do any drug testing (for the rape drugs).

We start with talking about students taking care of themselves better and communication between the sexes. There is concern about the date rape drugs. Most people who know about them are afraid.

To answer that fear, the Office of Student Affairs has been distributing information to every freshman and new transfer student.

The advice is, if you suspect you have been raped, go to the student counseling center and the student health center on campus.

NICOLE PRESLEY

21, peer educator, UCLA Women’s Resource Center

We mention these drugs in all our programs. People are not very familiar with them.

Usually they ask,”What is it? What are the effects? How long does it last? “

No one has ever said they think the drugs were used on them.

We mostly discuss Rohypnol, known as “Rufies,” which is odorless, tasteless and colorless and cannot be detected in drinks. The effects are blackouts and not being able to remember anything. We tell them to avoid taking drinks from people you don’t know.

Most people have a misconception about rape. Most people think it happens between strangers, and that’s not true.