CRIME STOPPERS PLANS ANTI-DATE RAPE DRUG ADS

Crime Stoppers in Baton Rouge wants to raise money for an advertising
campaign this fall to fight an increase in the use of date rape and
so-called "club drugs," such as Ecstasy and GHB.

Crime Stoppers Executive Director Sid Newman said a radio, newspaper
and television campaign targeted at college students and their parents
would cost about $190,000 and would be timed to coincide with the
start of fall classes.

Fund-raising efforts are not yet off the ground.

"The ad company is still digging around with" the campaign's message,
Newman said. "I'm sure it'll be something catchy."

Rape Crisis Center volunteers have seen date- and drug-related rapes
increase over the past four or five years, said Jane Wood, director of
the center.

She did not have exact numbers, but said spotty reporting makes it
impossible to say how many rapes actually occur or how many are
drug-related.

Police spokesman Cpl. Don Kelly also said there had been some increase
in the number of reported rapes related to drugs.

Rape statistics from the FBI indicate a large drop in rapes reported
in the past few years.

In 2001, 62 rapes were reported in Baton Rouge, less than half the
total in 1997, when 144 were reported.

Rapes have fallen significantly every year since then, except for a
slight rise in 2000.

Kelly said rape victims who have been drugged commonly remember little
about what happened to them, making those rapes difficult to
investigate.

"We see more and more of it, no doubt," Kelly said. "It's no secret;
we've tried to be out front saying this is a growing problem."

In an address to the Press Club of Baton Rouge on Monday, Newman said
the recent arrest of a Hammond man in connection with a kidnapping and
rape Thursday should not induce Baton Rougeans to let down their guard.

Police arrested Christopher Wilson, 27, of Hammond, last week on
counts of kidnapping, rape and attempted murder in the abduction of a
Baton Rouge woman.

Newman alluded to the recent deaths of LSU graduate students Charlotte
Murray Pace and Christine Moore.

"What I'm scared to death of right now ... is that with this most
recent arrest people are going to let their guard down," Newman said.

No evidence has connected Wilson to the Pace or Moore
killings.

Crime Stoppers organizations statewide got a boost when the
Legislature voted to add a $2 tax to routine traffic ticket costs in
many jurisdictions.

Proceeds, which Newman said might be more than $800,000, will go to
groups like Baton Rouge Crime Stoppers.