The incidence of reports of drug-assisted rape in Ireland is a growing concern, according to the Minster of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Willie O'Dea.
Mr O'Dea was speaking at the launch of a poster campaign aimed at promoting awareness of the crime.
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Part of the poster
campaign launched today |
According to figures from the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland, 130 people who used their services last year reported being the victims of "drug rape". This is almost double the number of reports in 2000.
Reports of drug-assisted rapes to the Limerick Rape Crisis Centre rose from two in 1999 to 29 in 2001.
In the UK, since November 1997, more than 2,900 people - including 246 men - have contacted the Roofie Foundation, a helpline for "drug rape" victims.
Mr O'Dea described drug-assisted rape as "a despicable crime". "The effects are such that a person often just does not know if they have been assaulted.
"It may be much later before they become aware of signs of an attack or begin to experience flashbacks of the incident," he said.
According to the chief executive officer of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Ms Muireann O'Brianin, victims of drug assisted rape suffer "complete and utter memory loss" when spiked with drugs. Ms O'Brianin said that memory loss as a result of alcohol intake only would not be a complete loss.
She said that recipes for the manufacture of so-called date rape drugs could be obtained on the Internet.
Mr O'Dea added that he could not emphasise enough the importance of awareness of the dangers of drug assisted rape and the "early reporting to the gardaí of any incident where it is suspected that drugs were used to attempt rape or robbery".
The British government is to ban the over-the-counter drug GHB (gamma-hydroxybutate), a drug commonly used in drug-assisted rape. The most commonly known drug - which is also easily administered - Rohypnol, can only be bought on prescription in the UK.
There is only anecdotal evidence that these drugs are being used in drug-assisted rape in this country as the drugs leave the human system very quickly after being taken.