PREDATORY DRUGS A THREAT BUT THERE IS HELP IN JASPER

Sexual Predators Are Everywhere, Even In Jasper.

HIV West Yellowhead said reports of drug assisted assaults are on the
low this year, but so-called "date rape" drugs are very much a threat
in the community.

And because most victims fail to report the crime out of shame or
fear of tainting their reputations in a small town, there are no
conclusive figures to determine just how prevalent drug assisted
assaults are in Jasper.

What is clear, however, is that no person, regardless of gender or
age, can be 100 per cent protected.

The reality is that wherever drinking is involved, all people need to
be on guard.

Likewise, anyone from a complete stranger to a supposed friend could
perpetrate an assault.

Perpetrators scope out naive bar-goers who leave their drink
unattended for a brief moment, or for a longer window of opportunity,
when a victim steps out for a cigarette or takes a trip to the washroom.

But people don't necessarily have to leave their drinks unwatched to
be vulnerable to an attack.

While GHB, Rophypnol and Ketamine are widely considered as the major
date rape drugs, alcohol, an accessible and socially acceptable
substance, is most prevalently involved when it comes to drug
assisted assaults.

According to a University of Alberta study, more than half of all
sexual assaults in young adults occur under the influence of alcohol.

Like any other drug, perpetrators use alcohol to incapacitate their
victims, to silence them and to stifle any resistance to the attack.

The good news is that there are many community outreach groups
available to Jasperites.

Some, like HIV West Yellowhead, are taking a preventative approach to
warn people of potential predators, and to teach them how they can
protect themselves using realistic measures, like the buddy system.
And should someone fall victim to sexual violence, the local
hospital, victim services unit and community outreach services are
all there to help survivors recover from the traumatic ordeal.

Unfortunately, with a justice system that relies on concrete
evidence, victims of drug assisted assaults are often left with
little resource to prosecute their attackers.

Survivors often have incomplete recollections of the attack and most
date rape drugs are untraceable in urine and the bloodstream after 72
hours. That, combined with feelings of powerlessness and self-blame,
can hinder a victim from reporting the attack or seeking the
appropriate help they need.

- - EM