What do I do if I think I’ve been drugged or drugged and sexually assaulted by someone?
What do I do if I think I’ve been drugged or drugged and sexually assaulted by someone?
Survivors of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault is here to break the silence, to support survivors, and to advocate for change.
Steps to Take If You’ve Been Drugged or Drugged and Sexually Assaulted
Suspected Drugging without Sexual Assault
Call 911. Go to a safe place. If possible, ask a safe person to stay with you.
If possible, do not urinate.
If that’s not possible, collect urine in a clean container and put it in the fridge.
Preserve evidence such as glass/can with drink.
Go to the nearest Hospital
Enter the Emergency Room (ER) and request that the hospital collect a urine sample for drug toxicology testing during your ER intake assessment with the ER nurse.
It is critical that you have your very first urine output be collected within the first 12 hours after the suspected drugging occurred.
Drugging someone without their knowledge or consent is a crime. If you've been drugged, report it to your local police.
Suspected Drugging with Sexual Assault
Call 911. Go to a safe place. If possible, ask a safe person to stay with you.
Do not shower, eat or drink.
If possible, do not urinate.
If that’s not possible, collect urine in a clean container and put it in the fridge.
Preserve evidence such as your clothing and glass/can with drink that may have drugs used to drug you in the assault.
Go to the nearest Hospital
Enter the Emergency Room (ER) and request that the hospital collect a urine sample for drug toxicology testing during your ER intake assessment with the ER nurse.
It is critical that you have your very first urine output collected within the first 12 hours after the suspected drugging occurred.
Request that the hospital call a Forensic Nurse/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) to collect evidence and possibly a sexual assault kit.
The hospital should call the local Rape Crisis Advocate to be with you during your ER stay. You have the right to have an advocate present during your exam.
This is a crime. Make sure it's reported to your local police department.
"Blackout / Knockout" Drugs Commonly Used in Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Recreational drugs like alcohol and marijuana are often used in drug facilitated sexual assault.
However, specific drugs are used by perpetrators with the intention of blacking out your memory so you can't recall the crime. The table below shows the drugs most commonly used to black out your memory, either on their own or when added to alcohol
The above table reflects the period of time the listed substances likely remain in the human body after ingestion. These times can vary from person to person and depend on factors such as dosage, means of ingestion, frequency of use, individual vulnerability/metabolism, and type of urine test.
1 Busardò FP, Jones AW. GHB pharmacology and toxicology: acute intoxication, concentrations in blood and urine in forensic cases and treatment of the withdrawal syndrome. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2015 Jan;13(1):47-70. doi: 10.2174/1570159X13666141210215423. 2 Forsman M, Nystrom I, Roman M, Berglund L, Ahlner J, Kronstrand R. Urinary detection times and excretion patterns of flunitrazepam and its metabolites after a single dose. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 2009 Oct (33):491-501. 3 Verstraete AG. Detection times of drugs of abuse in blood, urine, and oral fluid. Ther Drug Monit. 2004 Apr;26(2):200-5. doi: 10.1097/00007691-200404000-00020. 4 Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Release 10.11.00. Accessed September 2024. https://tinyurl.com/spcakv7n 5 Schwope DM, DePriest A, Black DL, Caplan YH, Cone, EJ, Heltsey, R. Determining Zolpidem compliance: Urinary metabolite detection and prevalence in chronic pain patients. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 2014; 38:513-518. 6 Tse SA, Atayee RS, Best BM, Pesce AJ. Evaluating the relationship between carisoprodol concentrations and meprobamate formation and inter-subject and intra-subject variability in urinary excretion data of pain patients, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 36, Issue 4, May 2012, Pages 221-231, https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bks018 7 Millenium Health, LLC. Windows of detection for selected analytes tested by LC-MS/MS. 2021. Unpublished guide.
A Letter from Stephanie
Dear Survivors and Allies,
My name is Stephanie Dershaw, and I am the CEO of Survivors of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault. On January 21, 2022, my life changed forever. While out with friends in Columbus, Ohio, I was drugged, sexually assaulted by an unknown assailant, and left in a freezing parking lot to die. By some miracle, I survived and returned home to my two daughters.
In the aftermath, friends started a GoFundMe to help with my medical expenses. I was overwhelmed by the response. I was enraged at the men who did this me and enraged by how carelessly I was treated by the health care system and law enforcement. I began telling my story on social media. Countless women reached out and shared their own stories of drugged sexual assault. These women told me how they had kept their assaults a secret and felt overwhelmed by shame and embarrassment. This silence and pain was a revelation to me.
That's why I founded Survivors of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault. We are here to break the silence, to support survivors, and to advocate for change.
Together, we can create a world where survivors are believed, supported, and where justice is not just a hope, but a reality.
Thank you for standing with us. Let's change the narrative together.
Warm regards,
Stephanie Dershaw
CEO, Survivors of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Stephanie Dershaw, CEO, Survivors of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault
Here’s what we do:
Advocate for Timely Drug Testing
We are pushing for immediate urine sample collection in hospitals for drugged assault survivors. Too often, the window for effective testing is missed because the drugs used by perpetrators to commit crimes are eliminated by the body before hospitals collect and send the sample for testing, denying justice to victims.
In certain states it is only a misdemeanor to drug someone without their knowledge or consent with a controlled substance , which has done little to deter the crime. Drugging someone with a controlled substance without their knowledge or consent must be classified as a standalone felony.
Legislative Advocacy
We're working to ensure hospitals are adequately staffed with trained professionals to conduct medical forensic exams promptly and compassionately.
Increase Forensic Exam Capacity
We offer a space for survivors and allies to connect, heal, and advocate together. No one should face this alone.
Build Community and Support