The dangers of drug rape

Drug rapes take place when drinks are spiked

A new cinema advert is being launched today that warns about the dangers of drug rape - where victim's drinks are spiked.

The new campaign, called 'Spiked!' will run throughout the Autumn and feature during films like Ewan McGregor's Young Adam and Kill Bill, starring Uma Thurman, and directed by Tarantino.

Although incidence of drug rape appears to be on the increase, there is a worrying lack of awareness of the dangers and of the measures people can take to protect themselves.

The concept for Spiked! came after commercials director Suzanne Jones learned how a friend was brutally drug raped in Islington, north London last year.

This morning on Breakfast we spoke to Suzanne Jones who made the new advert.

The police investigation resulted in an appeal on Crimewatch. But the investigation did not lead to any convictions.

It did, however, leave Suzanne committed to doing something to help prevent such attacks.

After talking through with her friend what happened to her, Suzanne decided to use her skills as a film maker to help warn others about the dangers of drug rape.

It doesn't make people pass out, that's a big misconception..it can just make you seem very drunk Suzanne Jones

She says that a large part of the danger is that people whose drinks have been spiked often just seem drunk, as if they are enjoying themselves of their own free will. So their friends may not be aware of what is happening to them.

She is keen to dispel some of the myths about the drug - and educate people into being more careful when they're out.

Vulnerable

A person under the influence of these drugs might appear to be drunk and enjoying him or herself: in fact the cocktail of drugs and alcohol can remove any control of behaviour, making the victim extremely vulnerable.

What's worse, this lethal concoction can erase hours from the victim's memory. It is very unusual that reported cases actually make it to court, as the victim's evidence is considered unreliable when pieced together from large patches of memory loss.

The storyline features a man in a bar chatting up a girl and he offers her a drink. She accepts and they drink together, but she is unaware that the drink has been adulterated.

In the advert an unsuspecting woman's drink is spiked by a rapist

The man then leads the girl out of frame and the final shot shows her alone, dishevelled and staggering out of the bar. This is followed by the catch line:

"Now rapists don't have to use force to get what they want! Who's watching your drink?"

The powerful film should help raise awareness of drug rape as an issue and comes with a warning from the police that we need to be careful when out socialising.