Date rape drugs in Ashland

Mara , 28.07.2006 12:36

Recent incidents of date rape drug use in Ashland inspired this piece on a firsthand account of such criminal activity.

public service poster on date rape drugs

So you know how you hear tell of women getting dosed at bars with drugs that incapacitate them and allow for predatory sociopaths to take advantage? Well, I am speaking from firsthand experience, and I was hospitalized due to this. It was by sheer luck that I made it home and my friend who was staying with me bathed me after I vomited several times and put me to bed because I could not stand up on my own. The next morning I had to call my mother and ask her to come and take my son and when she got here she had to call 911 because my 7 year-old son found me unconscious on the floor of the bathroom when I tried to get up and vomit, again. An ambulance took me to Ashland Community Hospital and my son had to stay with friends until I got out the next day. I was sick as hell. Paralyzed and hallucinating and sick as hell. My doctor, who has known me for years as a responsible mother and student has had to state, “Do I believe you were drugged? Yes. Can I prove it? No.” because GHB, which is what was most likely used in this instance, dissipates within 12 hours and is undetectable with most blood and urine tests. As nothing was detected in any testing done over the course of my stay in ACH he had no choice but to simply advise me to rest and recover. No formal conclusions were ever reached about what had happened to me, at least not on a medical level.

However, after my release, it was made known to me that I was not the only one who had been poisoned. Five others were dosed that evening. We were all in attendance of a local restaurant/bar on the night of June 28th. None of us were present to get drunk. We were out to see our friends band play on a weeknight and thus had work the next day to consider. I had four small glasses of wine over the course of the evening and I remember nothing of the majority of that night. I have had to turn to my friends to piece together the evening after about 10:00 or so to find out what happened, where I went, who I was with. Lucky for me I have friends who were looking out for one another and thus I was not left alone at any time. Some who have dosed have not been so lucky, at least one woman has been raped in our valley as a direct result of date rape drug use. At any rate, my friends said that I was acting very inebriated that night, which is very atypical. I said and did things that are not my norm and after a while I managed to get a ride home from a friend, who later told me that we had quite a nice conversation. I remember nothing of the ride. Nothing at all.

Evidently the dosage was variable from each to each and none of us had quite the same response. I was the only one hospitalized. However, it was quite clear to all of us that we had been the victim of someone’s sick idea of fun.

And as if being drugged and hospitalized was not enough, the response from both the police and the venue was less than acceptable. The police stated that without physical evidence I was out of luck in terms of getting anyone to investigate. And the bar? Well, when I went to tell them, out of courtesy, that the word on the street was that it was one of their bartenders they stated that “shit happens” and that I should have kept a better eye on my drink. They then decided to not investigate the issue and let it drop claiming that it was not their problem. How is it not their problem? In my opinion this is everyone’s problem. From the youngest member of our community who has been affected, in this case, my son, to the elders in our various care facilities this is a problem. It is a problem for anyone who eats in the restaurants in our fair downtown to the people who go for a beer in the local tavern.

You see, the dosings have not been limited to one place or time. I have been asking around and it seems that this is a sort of epidemic here. Women and men are both at risk. Time of day matters not since several people have told me they suspect they were drugged at times ranging from four in the afternoon to three in the morning and the symptoms have ranged from suspicious inebriation from little alcohol consumption to severe intoxication and blackouts, with the worst case being the rape I mentioned above. I see this as not an individual issue rather as one we need to face as a community in order to put a stop to it. We should feel safe in our town. Safe enough to not be paranoid and need to “keep a better eye on our drinks”, as was so callously stated by the owners of the bar where I was dosed. We need to rally and complain to the police and to the owners of our local bars who are, whether or not they want to believe it, responsible for their patrons safety. Until then I recommend being vigilant and not setting yourself up for the pain and suffering I and my small son went through due to the sociopathology of an individual who has no business being in our community. Once found this person should be prosecuted as the felon he or she is.

Incidentally, I did some research and found that the drugs being used do not mix well with prescriptions. Heart medication, for example, being one which can potentially lead to fatality if confronted with substances such as GHB or Rohypnol. Additionally, if you are pregnant these drugs can kill your fetus. This is no laughing matter. This is not something to ignore as “not your problem”. Because if you ignore it now and pretend that it is not happening, when it happens to you or someone you love it might very well be the last thing you or they experience. Think about it. Contact the police department if you or anyone you know suspects they were dosed. Contact them in outrage over the fear in our community. And then try to imagine how you would feel, at the age of 7, to find your mother, your only parent, unconscious on the bathroom floor because someone thought it would be funny to see how she would react to such drugs. Imagine your fear and panic. Just imagine. And then act.

e-mail:: maralove1@gmail.com

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talked to bar 29.07.2006 - 16:24 I spoke to the bar in question and they agreed to increase security and apologized to me for the situation. I suppose that not all media is bad... change is happening already due to increased awareness. Thank maude and IMC. mara> clarity 31.07.2006 - 09:52 A month went by.... why the delay in reporting? Why was there nothing in our daily newspaper? No story and I don't remember anything in the police blotter. Did no one report to the police? Why were there rumors of a lawsuit by the bar to prevent the story from being in the paper? Now, because of indy media they regret what happened? Is a boycott due to their negelect to take this seriously still in order? There are other places to get rice and fish in this town. If they don't care about their customers wellness, how can we feel safe there? I think there is more to this story. I am disappointed in the establishment where the dosings happened, the Daily Tidings and the cops.... all common disappointments, but this is serious. wondering> agreed 31.07.2006 - 12:12 Dear Wondering, I couldn't agree more. The police said that since there was no *hard proof* in the way of conclusive blood testing that they couldn't do anything. Then the pursuit of how and why and where got stalled b/c the people who told me that they were willing to go on record all clammed up. And as far as the paper goes, I actually got told that they had bigger stories to report. What could be bigger than this? Hm. Disappointed here, too. I also got a call about another rape. Being an advocate is becoming a challenging job in this town. I have my work cut out for me. It would be nice to not have any cases to negotiate or navigate right now... but that is not the case. Seriously angry and very sad for our town right now. mara> maybe a change is needed 02.08.2006 - 08:06 Maybe a change is needed in not only the way the establishment conducts itself, but also the way a Mother of a 7 year old conducts herself. The examples we give to our children have more influence on them, then what we tell them. If you are looking for a companion then there are better places than a bar, if you are looking for social interaction, again there are better places than a bar. Don't get me wrong, I in no way condone what apparently happened, but at the same time you have to consider the environment that you place yourself into. Surely, there are better places to spend your time and not expose yourself to this type of potential invasion of your person. Alternative> ignorant alternative 02.08.2006 - 13:06 You know nothing of my lifestyle. I am not under scrutiny here... besides which I was not out to *find a companion* or to get loaded... I was out to support a friend and her band. How dare you blame me for what happened. How dare you. And how ignorant. mara> Life 02.08.2006 - 13:24 How very nice of you to blame the victim....really. I wasn't aware that becoming a parent meant you had to go into hiding and become a hermit. I commend Mara for coming out and speaking out about this issue....it could have happened anywhere. The meat of the problem is that someone got dosed with a substance against her will, not that she was a grown woman in an establishment that served alcohol socializing with other adults while her son was properly cared for by another responsible adult. No one "asks for it." No one. Whitney> e-mail:: whit_e_mohlar@yahoo.com No attention to detail... 02.08.2006 - 13:25 First of all you should read, not just react. I never blamed you for what you say happened, to do so would definitely be insensitive to say the least. I did say that there was better alternatives for finding a companion or "social interaction", never did I say you were out to get loaded. I do wonder how, if you were just out to support your friend, how someone could spike your drink, and if you weren't mingling, how they thought they would even have a chance at getting you out of the building alone? I do know that I personally don't want my child thinking that a bar is the place to go for a social life. If you were this way with other parties involved, the police, the bar, the paper, then maybe we can begin to understand why you were discounted in the first place, again this may not be right, but you actions and attitude may contribute to the outcome of events in your life. Lastly, I doubt that any reasonable person could condone the type of behavior exhibited by the perp or from any predatory animal, towards you or any other human. Alternative> Support not Condemnation! 02.08.2006 - 14:14 You still are missing the point, Alternative! Mara clearly staed she went out to see a friend's band play. That was it...not to hook up, just to be with friends. Where do you suggest she go to see that band...or should she not have gone at all because the event happened to take place in a bar? What you are suggesting is ludicrous and unfeeling. I am shocked you would even insinuate that she is not a responsible parent. Also, this could have happened at any time. Why do you think automatically that she must have been "mingling"? She could have left her drink on the bar in a friemd's care when she went to the restroom. Her friend might have turned her back for one moment...and really, a moment is all it takes. But again, that is not the point of Mara's story. Making poeple aware of and alert to what may happen to them is! This date rape drug is not something to be dismissed. It happens all the time...and yes, it has happened to me as well. Having a flippant and cavalier attitude doesn't help. Support is what's needed here. Skylarking> ignorance strikes again 02.08.2006 - 14:16 So, alternative, let me get this straight. I was supposed to sit, drink in hand, not talk to anyone and be suspicious the entire night of everyone? Hm, sounds a bit puritanical and repressive, don't you think? The police cannot do anything because there was no physical evidence, which is why the *perp*, as you so fittingly called the attacker, relies on such drugs. The paper cannot do anything because of whatever reasons they have chosen and not based on ill reaction to me. Again, your choice to blame me for anything that happened is not very smart or kind. Good luck with YOUR life, and kindly keep your opinions re: my parenting to yourself. m> date rape drugs 02.08.2006 - 14:31 Alternative, So you are trying to say that going out to a bar to watch a friends band play is asking for trouble? Should we all just stay home and cower in the corner, cause you never know what might happen if you go anywhere. Instead of blaming Mara, or lecturing her on why she would dare go to a bar (which has been stated over and over that she wasn't there to find a companion), you should show a little support and understanding. You know, some people do go out with friends, just to have a nice time and NOT to pick up people or get completely smashed. Brent> take off the blinders 02.08.2006 - 14:41 Alternative: it's very, very important (especially for someone like you who evidently goes only to societally accepted social situations and never bars) to understand that the date rape drug isn't just a bar scene crime. GHB can fuck you up with just a tiny (tasteless) capful from a soda bottle. This drug can be slipped into your coffee at Starbucks. Your smoothie at the juice bar. Your food. As a former ghb/'vitamin k' user, I can tell you that there is no schedule for the ghb user or the ghb perp. There is no discrimination between day or night, bar or library, rock music or classical piano. I think out of all the people commenting, you're the most at risk, Alternative. Just like the rape victim who believes that only women who dress provocatively will be raped-I fear for your safety if you honestly think that this kind of seedy freakiness only happens in bars and other situations "not suitable" for parents of small children. This is a very classic reaction, although it surprises me every time I see it. S> Go back to your cave, asswipe 02.08.2006 - 17:47 Alternative, you are a pathetically typical hatemongering male. You'll never understand a single word in this article because your brain is saturated with the kind of bullshit that created the Taliban. Women shouldn't leave home? Shouldn't have friends? Shouldn't have a drink? So any female that goes out in public deserves to get attacked, and then punished for being attacked? You sick fuck. Let me ask you, asswipe, have you ever had sex with a woman that maybe didn't want to? Maybe begged you to stop? Maybe you thought she "asked for it" by being in the same room with you? You're a monster. Viveth> Just say "Screw you" 02.08.2006 - 18:17 "I never blamed you for what you say happened" No, but you implied it. "First of all you should read, not just react" So should you, because she was there to hear a band play, moron. "I do know that I personally don't want my child thinking that a bar is the place to go for a social life." Good, stick to your own ways of childrearing and keep your unwarranted opinions about other people's parenting to yourself. "If you were this way with other parties involved, the police, the bar, the paper, then maybe we can begin to understand why you were discounted in the first place," MORE blame?? Nice. "Lastly, I doubt that any reasonable person could condone the type of behavior exhibited by the perp or from any predatory animal, towards you or any other human." Yes, unless they're at a bar mingling or supporting a friend, right?? Get a muzzle for your fingers, asshole. <3, Amy Amy> Um... 02.08.2006 - 20:43 Even if she was there to mingle, to meet people or even if she did want to meet someone, it in no way condones the act of someone putting an illegal substance into her drink. A drug that has been shown to lead to rapes and sexual assault. A drug that put her son at FAR MORE risk than a responsible mom heading out for some much needed ADULT socializing. Nice work, dude. You are part of the problem, even though you pretend to be part of the solution. Michelle> article 05.08.2006 - 15:30 That article was in the Tidings on friday. Alternative, you need an education on how to not blame victims and how to exhibit more Christian compassion and care. anon> An appology offered, but the point remains 05.08.2006 - 18:43 First of all, I offer my appology to the victim, as I said before I do not condone this behavior...period. As for the male comment, I am the mother of 5 and prior to having kids I also went to bars for many different reasons, since having the kids I decided that leading by example and hold each person responsible for their actions is the best way to raise them and live my life, and yes I have been in a room and said no but been ignored, I don't wish that on anyone. As for all the ways that this drug can be dropped on its victim, well yes it can happen any time, any where. But you can control the environment you live in and reduce the chance of it happening. Again Mara I did not mean that you had it coming or you deserved it, as a woman I do understand that you can be taken advantage of and it happens more often than we would like to think, again my sincere appology. Alternative> spiked 23.10.2006 - 16:31 I've been spiked twice, once in my drink, once in my food. Since the hospitals refused to run tests, they didn't believe that I was spiked...'oh, you couldn't of been spiked, because there is no test results to prove it'. Yeah, because they refused to do them! Both times I was seated at a table in public drinking my drink and eating my food. Did not leave them unattended anonymous>