SCOTS DRUG RAPE EVERY THREE DAYS

One woman or man is drugged and raped in scotland every three days.
And new research says the actual number of date rapes could be as much
as five times higher.

The shocking statistics emerged yesterday as a new report highlighted
the growing threat of drug-induced date rapes across the UK. One
victim, Nina Richards, said: "Because you're awake and there you blame
yourself."

A Government-funded study has exposed date rape as the new crime of
the 21st Century. The study led by senior policeman Peter Sturman
called for an overhaul of the law and harsher punishments for attackers.

In hard-hitting findings, Detective Chief Inspector Sturman called for
"a new look at sexual assaults through 21st Century eyes".

As his report was published in London, a group dedicated to the
support of date rape victims revealed the rapid increase in the use of
drugs by sex attackers in Scotland.

The Roofies Foundation, which takes its name from the street slang for
the date rape drug rohypnol, said in two years it has been contacted
by 237 Scots victims of drug-induced date rape.

But Foundation Chief Executive David Rhodes said the true figure was
probably closer to 1000.

He said: "This type of attack has no age barrier, no gender barrier,
no class barrier. Everyone is at risk and the number of victims is
growing by the day.

"We have been contacted by almost 300 from Scotland alone. But we
believe the actual number of victims is probably five times that."

Drug rape victim Nina Richards, 33, a public relations consultant,
told yesterday how she has been left emotionally scarred for life
after a night out with an American client.

They were joined by two or three other people. All she remembers of
them is somebody wearing a pair of glasses. She said: "I went to the
loo and felt really light-headed. I remember my client leaving, saying
he was going to bed, but nothing else until I woke up.

"I was lying face down, in a crucified position.

"I lifted up one of my arms and there was a guy there and he was
naked.

"I thought, who is he, I've never seen him before. He raped me and I
was awake.

"Because you're awake and there you blame yourself. Then he left. I
felt it was my fault in some way."

Last year, a male student at Edinburgh University was sexually
asaulted after his drink was spiked with rohypnol at an end-of-exams
celebration party.