My drink was spiked

A recent article in a local magazine tells the story of a 17 year old girl who died at a party at friends' house. Autopsy reports are awaited to confirm suspicions whether her drink was 'spiked' as blood tests show that she had very little alcohol in her blood stream when she first started feeling dizzy and her heart started beating rapidly. She became unconscious and died of heart failure shortly after.

I want to speak out about what happened to me 8 years ago as I feel we should create an awareness for young girls who think that this only happens to 'people we don't know'.

I was 18 years old, living with my uncle and his third wife and her son and a lady friend of theirs who was visiting. The young lady, Michelle* was a drug addict. A variety of circumstances at the time rendered me quite emotional and vulnerable at the time and I just wanted to go to bed when Michelle and Jacques* asked me to take a drive with them. I agreed, insisting that when I get back home I want to go to bed. Alas, after picking up another friend of theirs, Jaco* and a bottle of alcohol, they invited me to stay for 'just one drink and chat' outside. Reluctantly, or shall I say stupidly, I agreed. I've never been good at saying 'no' and their arguments were convincing. I forgot about all the times that they said I should try some drugs with them as it will make me feel good.

Shortly after sitting down they said that they forgot to get glasses and Michelle asked me to go with her to the kitchen to get glasses. Halfway up the stairs the guys called us back and said they actually had glasses. I was too tired, miserable and naive to question this sudden change.

As the glasses clinked and I took my first sip, I immediately went into a 'trance'. Up until today I have certain flashbacks - the same ones, never any different ones in order to put together the whole puzzle. It is very frustrating and humiliating, as I don't really know what happened. What I can say with certainty is thank God, I was not raped.

See, date rape drugs are used to assist sexual assault as it renders the victim helpless and often unconscious. The added benefit to the perpetrator is that the victim never remembers what happened during this time.

The next day I did not know what happened at all. Over time and with the realisation of what happened and the flashbacks, I've managed to put together the picture and all I feel is violation and relief. They violated me and I was so stupid that I didn't realise it. I put my trust into people with evil intentions and many girls do it daily... I feel relief that they were unable to violate me physically due to the fact that they were intoxicated at the time. I sound like a hypocrite based on my state at the time, but I've never been drunk in my life.

I've learnt from this experience not to trust people so easily and want to share a few tips with young girls:

* Get to know people in your own space where you have people around with whom you feel safe.
* Don't drink with strangers and if you are having a non-alcoholic beverage in public, be sure to have it in your hand at all times.
* Don't accept drinks from strangers.
* Say NO when you are uncomfortable in the least.
* Always go out with at least one good friend that you know you can trust.

These tips are not guaranteed to keep you safe, but they will sure let any prospective perpetrator know that you are well aware and that may scare them off.

If you start feeling strange and think your drink may have been spiked, immediately call someone to take care of you. Don't let a stranger look after you as they may easily take advantage of you.

There are various drugs which are used in date rape and some of them are addictive, such as GHB (AKA: Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Grievous Bodily Harm) which they used on me, ketamine, rohypnol and alcohol.

GHB is a home-made drug containing ingredients such as paint-stripper and more. It has a slightly salty taste. It is freely available to kids on the streets and in the wrong dosage could kill you, as happened to the girl in the article I mentioned.

Things happen for a reason and that answers my question: Why, oh why was I overweight at that age? If I was of normal weight I would've been incapacitated earlier on, before them and they could've had their way with me. Or perhaps the wrong dosage could have killed me.