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Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault

What is it? - Rape or sexual assault facilitated by the use of drugs to incapacitate the victim.

What are the signs? - Memory Loss including snapshots or cameo memories - Confusion - impaired motor skills - reduced inhibition - dizziness - drowsiness - impaired judgment - intoxication disproportionate to the amount of alcohol consumed.

How do I determine if a sexual assault may have been drug facilitated?
Be aware of the following scenarios that may point to the possibility that the victim was drugged:
- If the victim remembers taking a drink but cannot recall what happened for a period of time after consuming the beverage.
- If the victim feels a lot more intoxicated than her/his usual response to the amount of alcohol consumed or feels intoxicated after drinking non-alcoholic beverages.
- If the victim woke up feeling "hung-over or fuzzy", experiencing memory lapses and unable to account for a period of time.
- If the victim feels as though someone had sex with her/him, but cannot recall any or all of the incident.
- If the victim wakes up in a strange or different location without knowing how she/he got there.
- If the victims clothes are absent, inside out, disheveled, or not hers/his.
- If the victim has "snapshots" or "cameo memories".

What do I do if I recognize the possibility of drug facilitated sexual assault?
You can use the Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault Kit (DFSA), Developed by the NYS Division of criminal Justice Services BUT Remember :
- The collection must be within 96 hours of the ingestion of the suspected drug.
- You must obtain permission from the victim (a consent form is included in the DFSA kit).
- The victims first urine is critical! If a pregnancy test is done as part of the routine exam, do not throw out any leftover urine.
- Do NOT use clean catch method of urine collection.
- Collect as much urine as possible, up to 100ml.
- Be sure to complete the forensic exam using the NYS Sexual Offense Evidence Collection Kit Before using the Drug facilitated Sexual assault kit.

What if our hospital does not have any DFSA kits available??
- Use 2 gray top blood tubes and standard sterile urine collection cup to obtain samples. You must also obtain signed consent from the victim. If your hospital does not have a copy of the Authorization for release of Sexual Assault Drug screen, You can obtain one by calling the DCJS Violence Against Women Unit @ (518) 457-9726 or you can access it 24 hours a day on our website www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us. DO not include the DFSA samples in the NYS Sexual Offense Evidence Collection Kit used to do the forensic exam.