DATE RAPE ON RISE IN AREA

Date rape is currently on the rise in Red Deer area and illegal drugs
used for the "sinister" deed are now abundant on city streets.

"We are seeing an increase of it (date rape) each year," said Dianne
Howarth, executive director of the Crisis Centre, which provides
support services in Red Deer for victims of sexual assault and their
families.

"Date rape drugs are now more accessible and kids are drinking at a
younger age."

Howarth said the centre sees 300 new cases a year, and about 20 of
them are now classified as date rape.

"I certainly think we have a problem," said Howarth, noting date rape
figures have been on the rise since 1997 when the use of drugs was
first documented in the city. " I think all communities are
experiencing the same thing."

Last year, a study by a team from the University of British Columbia
discovered that more than one in four sexual assaults occur after a
woman has been drugged by her assailant.

The study, conducted at the B.C. Women's Sexual Assault Service, also
revealed the vast majority of those who are drugged, and then raped,
are teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19.

The most common drugs used in date rapes are alcohol, ketamine - a
veterinary anaesthetic that is easily available in Central Alberta, an
illegal tranquilizer called Rohypnol, and GHB or gamma
hydroxybutyrate, a synthetic liquid drug used as a treatment for sleep
disorders.

The latter three drugs are all colourless, odourless and tasteless and
often slipped into unsuspecting victims' drinks, usually at a bar.

Earlier this year, the Crisis Centre set up an information booth at
Red Deer College and up to 11 people who talked to a counsellor said
they suspected a date rape drug was used against them.

"That validated to me that date rape drugs are definitely being used
in our community," said Gloria Driedger, a centre volunteer
coordinator and educator.

Red Deer city RCMP Cpl. Steve Cormack, who heads the detachment's
Street Team, said his unit made a "substantial" seizure - about 78
grams - earlier this year of ketamine.

"People will use it for a variety of reasons," said Cormack, adding it
was impossible to speculate whether the seized ketamine was targeted
exclusively for date rapes.

"But the sinister use is for date rape. It incapacitates
you."

Howarth said in her 18 years at the Crisis Centre she has not seen a
successful prosecution for date rape, noting it is extremely difficult
to prove because drugged victims usually do not have any memory of the
offence.

"Identity of the perpetrator is impossible," said Howarth. "It is hard
to prove someone has drugged you."

She added the drugs used by perpetrators leave the victim's system
quickly, and hospitals don't routinely perform drug testing on victims.

Howarth said the centre is aggressively providing education at schools
and throughout the community about date rape.

"Watch your drinks and never leave your friends behind. Use the buddy
system," said Howarth.