DATE-RAPE FIGHT LAUNCHED

Police estimate only one in 100 women drugged, raped reports the crime.

Once a month Vancouver police investigate a report of a woman being
sexually assaulted after ingesting drugs that force her into unconsciousness.

Yesterday, at the launch of the Canadian Federation of Students' latest "No
Means No" campaign, Det. Don McLean said many more incidents of sexual
assault due to drugs and alcohol -- consumed either voluntarily or
unknowingly --- are going unreported.

"My feeling is that if I have one incident where a woman says she has been
sexually assaulted as a result of a drug being administered there's
probably a hundred times more out there that don't (get reported)," said
McLean at the launch held at the Simon Fraser University pub.

McLean hopes the campaign will encourage women to report all incidents of
sexual assault.

"If we don't know about it we can't react to it. We can't do anything about
it," he said.

"It's not your fault. Someone has taken advantage of you and used a drug to
facilitate that sexual assault."

Anita Zaenker, the federation's B.C. chairperson, said the campaign began
in 1992 in response to increased sexual assaults on Canadian campuses.

This year information kits will be sent to more than 2,000 community
groups, high schools, transition houses, youth groups and college and
university campuses across the country.

The campaign is financed in part by a $20,000 grant from the Ministry of
Women's Equality.

"It's a simple concept. No means no. It's the right of a woman to refuse
sex," said Zaenker.

She said drug-facilitated rape and so-called date-rape drugs "have added a
new dimension to the crime of sexual assault" and women need to beware.

There have been no incidents of sexual assault involving the drugs Rohypnol
or Gamma Hydroxybutrate, also known as GHB, said McLean, but police have
seen the use of Lorazepam and other sedative-type prescription drugs.

He said most of these drugs -- which cause a lack of inhibitions,
disorientation, memory loss and blackouts -- are available through the
Internet.

To avoid being a victim, McLean suggests women stay close to their
cocktails while in bars.

"Never leave your drink alone or unattended and if you do get a new drink,"
he said. "If you are going to get a drink from the bar make sure it comes
directly from the bartender to you.

"If you are going to be singled out or targeted by a sexual predator and
that drink is left alone . . . it's very easy just to drop the drug in there."

On hand for the announcement was SFU student Jonathan Silveira, 23, who
said: "This is a good campaign. A lot of men try to push their own
interests on females."