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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2000)
WELL NOW See WellNow online at: http://healthed.uoregon.edu Date rape drugs: What every college woman needs to know Despite the growing prevalence of date rape drugs such as GHB and Rohypnol on college campuses, students can pro tect themselves against drug-induced sexual assault. By Dan Holbert It’s Friday night, time to wind down, go danc ing and enjoy socializing. You might be at a club, party or social event where both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. You are with people you know, and some new acquaintances, so you are feeling comfortable. Someone, at some point in the evening, secretly drops a drug like Rohypnol or GHB into your drink. The drug is odorless, colorless, and usually tasteless when it dissolves, so you do not notice it. As you contin ue to consume your drink, the drug begins to take its effect. You feel extremely intoxicated, weak, and helpless. This effect may lead to a state of unconsciousness and when you wake up, you have no recollection of what happened. You are vulnerable to being raped or sexually assaulted. In America, 27 % of women between ages 15 24 have been victims of rape or attempted rape. In 8 % of these cases the rapist administered some form of tranquilizer, not including alcohol, to his victim. GHB and Rohypnol, commonly known as ruffles, are the most frequently used date rape drugs. The pharmaceutical manufacturer Hoff man-La Roche produces ruffles in Mexico, South America, and Europe for use as a sleep aid. No legal market for ruffles exists in the United States. GHB and Rohypnol lack color, odor, and flavor, and dissolve readily in liquid. GHB exists in both liquid and powder form. Ruffles in pill form can be easily mistaken for aspirin. The symptoms of both drugs include impaired judg ment, loss of inhibition, dizziness, blackout, and amnesia. People affected by date rape drugs ap pear extremely intoxicated, regardless of how • •••••••••••••• much they’ve actually had to drink. Since these drugs can cause blackouts and amnesia, they fre quently protect the attacker’s identity from his victim. Most rapists choose a bar or a social party to administer the drug to a woman. In these situa tions, a pill or small amount of powder can easily be placed into a person’s drink. Women can greatly reduce their risk of drug-induced rape— and close the window of opportunity that rapists need—by following a few simple guidelines: • Don’t put your drink down, for any reason. • Don’t accept open drinks, and avoid punch bowls or coolers of jungle juice. • In bars, only accept drinks from the bartender or server. • Be alert to the behavior of friends, and have them watch you. Be extremely wary of anyone who appears overly drunk after consuming only a small amount of alcohol. • Make and keep plans regarding with whom you will leave the party or bar, and at what time. If you wake up and suspect you are the victim of drug-induced rape, there are several things to remember. First, refrain from showering, bathing, douching, changing clothes, or straight ening up the scene of the crime. All of these ac tivities destroy medical and legal evidence. If you decide to report the incident, first call the police, then go to the hospital to have medical evidence collected. This generally involves a physical exam and a urine analysis to test for evidence of date rape drugs. The efficacy of the urine test de pends largely on the time between administra tion of the drug and testing. Date rape drugs usu ally leave the system within 72 hours, so waste as little time as possible. Testing for pregnancy and STIs, as well as information regarding sup port programs, is available at the hospital and at the Health Center. According to Sepi Afrakhteh, an intern at the University’s counseling center, “The most important thing to do is to seek both medical and psychological help. At the counsel ing center, we offer individual therapy for sur vivors of sexual assault. In addition, they can uti lize other services such as groups offered through Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS). It is essential that women surround themselves with different sources of support.” By following these guidelines, you can pre vent falling victim to this increasingly common crime. If you or someone you know needs to re port a crime, or talk to a counselor, call SASS at 343-7277,24 hours a day, or contact the Univer sity of Oregon Counseling center at 346-3227. Hoffman-La Roche, the manufacturer of GHB and Rohypnol, offers free urine testing to anyone who suspects they’ve been given ruffles. Have your doctor call (800) 608-6540. Are diets all that they are hyped up to he? Fad diets continue to be pop ular with college students, but studies suggest they are both ineffective and potentially harmful. By Nora Aaron It seems that you cannot go anywhere without hearing about dieting. Television and magazines bombard us with diet ads. The high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet and other fad diets have become heated topics of debate, and, at times, it seems like every one is on such a diet. You do not have to look hard to find doctors and nurses who are on these diets themselves. Popular magazines are filled with success stories, which advocate dieting, while news shows, newspapers, and health professionals warn that fad-diets can be harmful. So, what is the truth? If these diets do not work, then why are so many people on them? Finding the truth can be difficult when there is so much hype surround ing these diets in the media and within the diet industry itself. When assessing whether or not such a diet is right for you or even healthy in general, it is important to review some facts: According to E.D.A.P. (Eating Disorders Awareness and Preven tion), 95 % of people on these kinds of diets gain the weight back, usually within one to five years. Recent studies have shown that more Americans are over weight than ever before, with nearly 30 % of them being obese, putting them at higher risk for many health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and dia betes. The percentage of women suf fering from eating disorders is rapidly increasing not only in the U.S., but also in countries across the globe. Nearly 25 % of college aged women suffer from disor dered eating at some point in their college career. Diets can also deprive you of energy and restrict your brain power, making you feel tired and sluggish. Going on calorie restricted diets will actually slow down your metabolism and potentially put your body into a starvation mode. If studies have indicated that these diets are harmful, then why are so many people still on them? Probably because the television and media promote a feminine ideal that is representative of less than 5 % of the population. There are many ways to maintain a healthy weight without compro mising your performance in school, your health, or your hap piness. Strive to: • Eat a balanced diet with food from all of the food groups. • Eat enough calories to sustain gour activity level. • Learn to accept gour body. Do not let gour weight determine how you feel about yourself or affect your self-esteem. • Exercise regularly by doing activities that you enjoy. For more information on healthy eating habits, stop by the University Health Center. They have a terrific lending library from which you can take out books, you could speak to a peer health educator, or you can meet with the nutritionist to help improve your eating habits. Contact the Health Education Program at 346-4456. University Health Center In this issue... Page 2... Genetically modified foods have arrived. Learn how scientists are remaking your favorite foods. Ever wonder why most men do not live as long as most women? Find out how you or your male friends can live a longer, healthier life. Page 3... Take advantage of the beauti ful fall weather in Eugene. We’ve got the information you need to go for a hike or a climb this time of year. College students know stress, but do they know how to han dle it? We’ve got some tips. I You Asked Them that?! Afraid to ask your doctor a question about your health? We rounded up some of the questions you’re too afraid to ask and got the answers for you. Page a... Thinking about body art? Here are some things to con sider before you pierce or tat too your body. Confused about how impor tant antioxidants are to stay ing healthy? Check out the latest news on antioxidants and how you can incorporate them into your diet. 2m mmmm 6MB WWMIi I) N I V B * S i T Y HEALTH CENTER We’re a mailer of degrees ^ Hours: Mon., and Wed.-Sat.: 8am to 6pm Tuesday: 9am to 6pm, Sunday: 10am to 6pm Phone: Appointments: Dental: Pharmacy: Physical Therapy: Insurance: Urgent Care: Health Education: Peer Health: General: 346-2770 346-4432 346-4454 346-4401 346-3702 346-2770 346-4456 346-4456 3464441 On-line: http://healthed.uoregon.edu
