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Addressing the Challenges of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

NCJ Number
308932
Author(s)
Frances Scott
Date Published
2024
Abstract

Sexual assault is a pervasive crime. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey estimates that 1 in 4 women will experience attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) involves the use of so-called “date rape drugs,” such as GHB or alprazolam, to render the victim vulnerable to attack. It is vital to understand when a sexual assault involves the use of drugs, both to help determine consent and for sentencing purposes, as DFSA involves more severe sentences because the court considers it a more heinous crime.