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| Date-rape drugs 'not widespread' | Date-rape drugs 'not widespread' |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Date-rape drugs may not be as prevalent as first thought, research has found. | |
| An Association of Chief Police Officers study has found many victims of sexual assault may have just been very drunk. | |
| In 120 cases from November 2004 to October 2005, it found no link to the date-rape drug Rohypnol and only found evidence of the drug GHB in two cases. | |
| In all 10 were suspected drug-assisted assaults involving sedatives or other drugs. The government said: "Rape is never the victim's fault." | |
| The report does not seek to deny or neutralise the incidence of drug-facilitated sexual assault Association of Chief Police Officers | |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said the research added to the government's "understanding of the role of drugs and alcohol in rape". | A Home Office spokeswoman said the research added to the government's "understanding of the role of drugs and alcohol in rape". |
| "The government is working to put rape victims' needs first and to make it easier to bring rapists to justice. | "The government is working to put rape victims' needs first and to make it easier to bring rapists to justice. |
| "Rape is an appalling crime, which is never the victim's fault," she said. | "Rape is an appalling crime, which is never the victim's fault," she said. |
| She added that nearly £6.7m had been invested over the past three years in services for victims of sexual violence. | She added that nearly £6.7m had been invested over the past three years in services for victims of sexual violence. |
| The study - thought to be the first of its size into drug rape - involved the Metropolitan, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Northumbria and Lancashire police forces as well as the Walsall area of the West Midlands Police. | |
| The findings also revealed 119 of the 120 alleged victims admitted they had been drinking alcohol and forensic tests discovered evidence of alcohol in 52% of cases. | The findings also revealed 119 of the 120 alleged victims admitted they had been drinking alcohol and forensic tests discovered evidence of alcohol in 52% of cases. |
| "In most cases, the alleged victims had consumed alcohol voluntarily and, in some cases, to dangerous levels," an Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) spokesman said. | |
| Drug-assisted assaults | Drug-assisted assaults |
| "The report does not seek to deny or neutralise the incidence of drug-facilitated sexual assault but merely view the topic in the context of alcohol and other related issues." | "The report does not seek to deny or neutralise the incidence of drug-facilitated sexual assault but merely view the topic in the context of alcohol and other related issues." |
| The organisation's analysis also discovered 22 alleged victims were two to three times above the legal drink-drive alcohol limit. | The organisation's analysis also discovered 22 alleged victims were two to three times above the legal drink-drive alcohol limit. |
| Of the 120 people examined, 57 had traces of controlled or prescribed drugs in their systems, including cannabis in 20% of cases, cocaine in 17% and amphetamines (including Ecstasy) in 9%, said Acpo. | Of the 120 people examined, 57 had traces of controlled or prescribed drugs in their systems, including cannabis in 20% of cases, cocaine in 17% and amphetamines (including Ecstasy) in 9%, said Acpo. |
| In a total of 41 cases, one alleged victim had taken alcohol and illegal drugs, eight had taken alcohol and prescribed drugs and seven had consumed all three. | In a total of 41 cases, one alleged victim had taken alcohol and illegal drugs, eight had taken alcohol and prescribed drugs and seven had consumed all three. |
| The report also concluded only "limited traces" of GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyrate, were involved in the cases. | |