Sexual violence under the influence of knockout drops
Sometimes, women and girls reach out to us who suspect they have experienced sexual violence. They have little recollection of what happened. They suspect that their drinks have been mixed with knockout drops.
Indications for that could be:
- The erpson suddenly feels nautious or dizzy.
- Perception difficulties
- Dozy state (“being wrapped in a cloud”)
- Difficulties remembering, oftentimes quite sudden
- After the orientation is back: sevre nausea, vomiting, panic and anxiety attacks
- Doubts, if the symptoms come from e.g. voluntarily drunk alkohol
If you think somebody gave you knockout drops:
- Contact the emergency department of the Bielefeld Hospital Mitte as soon as possible. Detecting knockout drops is only possible for a short period of time, often only 12 to 48 hours after ingestion. At the hospital, a blood or urin sample will be taken for the lab.
- You will be examined at the hospital as well. The doctor will check if you have any injuries and if you have experienced sexual violence. The doctor will treat your wounds and document everything. If you decide later on to file a police report, police and court can have access to this evidence.
- You can also go to the Bielefeld police department right after the offence and file a report.
You can find detailed information on knockout drops here:
https://www.frauen-gegen-gewalt.de/de/was-sind-ko-tropfen.html
Take your perception seriously.
If you have suspisions that you have taken knockout drops, please take your perception seriously. Get support in the hospital or at a doctors office. Remember that something like that doesn’t happen only at a club. Even acquientances or friends could put something in your drink in order to have sex with you afterwards.
It is also forbidden to have sex with you in a situation when you cannot defend yourself: e.g., if you drank alcohol or are unconscious. Please get help! For example, you can get counsel/advice at the Frauennotruf Bielefeld e.V.