Knockout drops

More and more cases are becoming known in which drugs, so-called knock-out drops, are used specifically to render someone unconscious and to rape them in this state. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) poses an increased risk. The effects of GHB are dose-dependent and vary greatly from person to person. In small doses, GHB can have a relaxing or disinhibiting effect. This is why GHB is also known as “liquid ecstasy” or “party drug”. Even small amounts can lead to loss of willpower and unconsciousness. To make matters worse, knockout drops almost completely disable the ability to remember. Those affected often wake up in strange places and have no memory of what happened to them or how they got there. The feeling that something has happened to them against their will often remains vague. If they then feel or know that they have been the victim of sexual assault, they are often overcome by fear and shame and are afraid to confide in anyone. Most people are then left with a long-lasting, agonizing uncertainty about what has happened.