Drug-facilitated sexual assault in ontario, canada: toxicological and dna findings
Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine xxx (2010) 1e6
Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings
Janice Du Mont EdD Research Scientist, Associate Professor ,,Sheila Macdonald MN ProvincialCoordinator Nomi Rotbard MPH Research Associate, PhD Student , Deidre Bainbridge BSc NursePractitioner Eriola Asllani BSc Data Analyst , Norman Smith PhD Associate Professor ,Marsha M. Cohen MD Research Scientist, Professor ,
a Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, Canada
b Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canadac Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, Toronto, Canadad Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, NY, USAe Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, Canada
f Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Toxicology, Clinical Biochemistry, St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, Canada
g Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canadah Department of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
The purpose of this study was to determine which persons reporting sexual assault to a hospital-based
treatment centre may have been covertly drugged and to provide information about whether a sexual
Each consecutive adolescent and adult presenting at a sexual assault treatment centre was screened
for drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA). Urine was collected and tested for central nervous system
active drugs. Oral, vaginal, and/or rectal swabs were tested for male DNA. Unexpected drugs weredefined as those not reported as having been voluntarily consumed within the previous 72 h. Positive
swabs for unexpected DNA were determined by whether the person reported having had consensual
A total of 184 of 882 eligible participants met suspected DFSA criteria. Mean age was 25.8 years
(SD ¼ 8.5), 96.2% were female and 64.7% White. Urine samples were positive for drugs in 44.9% of cases,alcohol in 12.9%, and both drugs and alcohol in 18.0%. The drugs found on toxicological screening wereunexpected in 87 of the 135 (64.4%) cases with a positive drug finding and included cannabinoids(40.2%), cocaine (32.2%), amphetamines (13.8%), MDMA (9.2%), ketamine (2.3%), and GHB (1.1%). MaleDNA was unexpected in 30 (46.9%) of 64 cases where it was found.
Among those persons presenting to a sexual assault treatment centre with a suspicion of DFSA, the
presence of unexpected drugs and male DNA was common, lending support for their contention thatthey had been intentionally drugged and sexually assaulted. Most unexpected drugs found were notthose typically described as ‘date rape drugs’.
Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.
The typical scenario involves a male assailant putting a drug intothe drink of an unsuspecting woman and waiting for her to lose
Since the mid-1990s unconfirmed reports have described the
consciousness before assaulting her. Later, the woman may expe-
increased use of covert substances to perpetrate sexual assault.
rience sensations such as hangover, nausea, vomiting, and/or
Most commonly described as drug-facilitated sexual assault
partial or total amnesia. Flunitrazepam (RohypnolÒ) has garnered
(DFSA), those suspecting having been drugged and sexually
the most media attention, although alcohol itself, other benzodi-
assaulted are frequently seen at emergency department
azepines (e.g., lorazepam), and street drugs (e.g., gamma-hydrox-ybutyrate [GHB]) reportedly have been used to facilitate ra
Definitions of what constitutes a DFSA are still emerging so that
* Correspondence: Women’s College Research Institute, 790 Bay Street, 7th Floor,
it is difficult to ascertain the extent of the problem. Many studies
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1N8, Canada. Tel: þ1 416 351 3732x2705; fax: þ1 416 351
have been based on assessments of drugs in specimens sent to
laboratories for analysisand provide numerators only. The
1752-928X/$ e see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
Please cite this article in press as: Du Mont J, et al., Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings, Journal ofForensic and Legal Medicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
J. Du Mont et al. / Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine xxx (2010) 1e6
proportion of suspected victims who provided a sample and the
(suspected) sexual assault and drugs (prescription, over-the-
characteristics of these victims are not known. Nor is it clear which
counter, and street) within the previous 72 h of examination.
of the drugs detected is the result of a deliberate spiking or
Supplemental data were collected by the health care provider for
a voluntarily consumption. Testing for the presence of male DNA in
those meeting the predetermined DFSA criteria. These data included
the absence of recent consensual sexual intercourse might help
information about whether the client had engaged in consensual
determine whether someone was sexually assaulted, but studies to
sexual intercourse within one week of being examined.
date have not included analyses of vaginal, rectal, and/or oral swabs
During a physical examination of each participant, a urine
for biological material. Shas commented, “frustrated
sample was collected and biological samples e oral, vaginal, and/or
attempts to remember ‘what actually happened’ and the fear of the
rectal swabs e were taken. While forensic cut-off points for col-
‘unknown’ can become a fixation for the survivor”
lecting DNA samples may vary across jurisdictions,in accor-
The objective of this study was to determine which of those
dance with standard sexual assault treatment guidelines used at
sexual assault reports made to a sexual assault treatment centre
participating centres, oral swabs were collected within 24 h, rectal
may have involved covert drugging and to provide further infor-
swabs within 48 h, and vaginal swabs within 72 h of the (sus-
mation about whether sexual intercourse may have occurred. Our
first goal was to identify the type and frequency of central nervous
Urine specimens were packaged and shipped to a toxicology
system (CNS) active drugs that had not been voluntarily consumed.
laboratory where they were tested for CNS active substances most
Our second goal was to determine the percentage of suspected
commonly implicated in the literature as facilitating sexual assault:
victims for whom unexpected male DNA was present. Strengths of
alcohol (ethanol), cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, GHB, amphet-
our study include a prospective data collection on every person
amines, benzodiazepines (e.g., flunitrazepam [RohypnolÒ], diaz-
attending several sexual assault centres, a blinded assessment of
epam, nordiazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, alprazolam), MDMA
drugs from urine specimens, and the determination of whether
(Ecstasy), ketamine, and others (e.g., antidepressants, cough
suppressants, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants).All specimenswere analyzed according to a predetermined blind prot
Anonymized oral, vaginal, and rectal swabs were shipped to
a government forensic laboratory where they were analyzed for the
We conducted a prospective study of women and men reporting
presence of male DNA. Again, all specimens were analyzed
sexual assault to seven hospital-based sexual assault treatment
according to a predetermined blind protocol.For men who
centres in Ontario, Canada. Information was collected over a 22-
suspected sexual assault, the laboratory was instructed to look for
month period beginning in June 2005. The study was approved by
the institutional ethics review boards of each participating hospital.
Data were entered into a secure database on a bi-weekly basis.
The seven centres serve rural and urban catchment areas repre-
Frequencies were generated for each variable and inconsistencies
sentative of the culturally diverse population of the province. The
detected in the data reconciled by: (1) reviewing study forms for
centres provided emergency care to women and men who presented
missing data; (2) asking program coordinators at participating sites
within 72 h of a sexual assault. Staff of these centres were sexual
to provide missing data; (3) checking with the laboratories about
assault nurse examiners and nurse/physician teams who were on-
outstanding and/or missing test results; and (4) reviewing all hard
call 24 h a day, 7 days a week and were able to come to the hospital
copy toxicological and biological test results to ensure that the
within 1 h of being paged. Care provided included the following:
information had been correctly entered into the database.
crisis intervention and support, physical assessment of injuries,
Descriptive statistics were generated for characteristics of the
collection of forensic evidence, medication for the prevention of
sample. The type and percentages of CNS active substances were
pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, as well as referral to
determined by time of collection. On a case-by-case basis we next
community agencies for ongoing support and counselling.
compared the drugs found in each urine sample to a list of drugs
Using a modified Delphi method,an advisory group, with
reported to have been voluntarily used by the participant. We
expertise in forensic toxicology, forensic biology, and sexual
defined cases with ‘unexpected CNS active drugs’ as those with one
assault, aided in the generation of 16 criteria for identifying cases
of the following characteristics: the participant did not report
of suspected drugging (e.g., amnesia; conscious paralysis; loss of
a history of CNS active drug consumption and at least one CNS active
consciousness). Similarly, a list of seven criteria was developed to
drug was found; a CNS active drug was found that was different from
identify those who thought they had been sexually assaulted, but
the one(s) the participant reported voluntarily consuming.
were unable to recall details (e.g., woke unclothed or to find
We defined cases of ‘unexpected male DNA’ as those in which the
clothing in disarray; unexplained body fluids such as semen found
participant did not report having engaged in consensual intercourse
on body; unexplained anogenital injuries). For this study, a case
the week prior to being examined and for whom male DNA was
was defined as a person who reported at least one valid reason for
found. We determined the percentage of biological specimens that
suspecting having been drugged and at least one reason for sus-
were positive for male DNA according to the type of swab (oral,
pecting having been sexually assaulted for more details).
vaginal or rectal) collected. Fisher’s exact test was used and an
All adolescents and adults aged 16 years or older who presented
unadjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval was generated
to any of the participating sites within 72 h with a belief of having
to denote the magnitude of the difference between the examined
been sexually assaulted were included in the study. Excluded from
groups. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically signif-
the study were those younger than 16 years of age, those who did
icant. We used Statistical Analysis System (SAS) software, version
not believe that they had been sexually assaulted, and those who
9.1.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), to analyze the data.
Health care providers at each site were trained to screen
consecutive clients for suspected DFSA. The Screening Form usedgathered sociodemographic (e.g., age, sex, ethnic/racial back-
Overall, 977 persons who reported a suspicion of sexual assault
ground), health (e.g., physical disability) and assault (e.g., type of
were screened e 882 of whom were included in the study (
sex act, use of weapon) information. Details were also collected
Of these, 184 (20.9%) met suspected DFSA criteria. This group
from clients about their voluntary use of alcohol prior to the
averaged 25.8 years of age (SD ¼ 8.5), was overwhelmingly (96.2%)
Please cite this article in press as: Du Mont J, et al., Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings, Journal ofForensic and Legal Medicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
J. Du Mont et al. / Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine xxx (2010) 1e6
Total Persons Presenting and Screened at SADVTCs: N = 977 (%) Excluded: Eligible Participants N = 698 (79.1) N = 184 (20.9) N = 28 (15.2) N = 150 (81.5) N = 6 (3.3) N = 178 (96.7) N = 3 (1.6) N = 3 (1.6) N = 64 (42.7) N = 80 (44.9) N = 23 (12.9) N = 32 (18.0) N = 43 (24.2) N = 86 (57.3)
Fig. 1. Toxicology and male DNA test results.
women and included several ethnic groups: A boriginal (4.9%),
(suspected) assault. In the 72 h prior to being examined,
Asian (4.3%), Black (2.7%), Latin American (3.8%), and White (64.7%).
a substantial proportion of participants reported having used over-
Most were employed (60.9%) and a substantial percentage was
the-counter medications (25.6%), prescription medications (29.4%),
students (39.7%). One-quarter (25.0%) suffered from mental health
and street drugs (25.5%) (The majority (80.4%) reported to
problems and 5.4% reported physical or cognitive disabilities. Most
a sexual assault treatment centre within one day of being assaulted.
(85.9%) had been drinking alcohol immediately prior to the
Toxicology testing was performed on urine samples collected
from 178 of the 184 (96.7%) participants meeting the suspectedDFSA criteria. Three (1.6%) clients did not provide a urine sample.
Two (1.1%) samples were not analyzed due to container breakage
during shipment and one (0.5%) sample was lost
There were 80 (44.9%) urine samples positive for at least one
CNS active drug (no alcohol). Alcohol alone (no drugs) was found in23 (12.9%) samples and both alcohol and drugs were found in 32
(18.0 %) samples. Neither alcohol nor drugs was found in 43 (24.2%)
samples (). Findings were time dependent: alcohol was
detected within 24 h post-assault in 91.3% of cases with alcohol
alone; drugs in 76.3% of cases with drugs alone; and alcohol and
drugs in 100% of cases positive for both substances.
The most common substances detected in screening were
alcohol (30.9% of 178 cases) and the street drugs: cannabinoids
(33.7%), cocaine (21.4%), amphetamines (7.3%), and MDMA (7.3%).
The anti-anxiety medication lorazepam was found in 6.2% of cases,
and the antidepressant citalopram in 6.7%. GHB (1.1%) and ket-
amine (1.1%) were found in a very small proportion of cases. Flu-
nitrazepam (RohypnolÒ) was not found in any of the samples
examined. Drugs such as these were most likely to be detectedwithin the first day post-assault ().
There were unexpected toxicology results for 87 cases (48.9% of
all 178 suspected DFSA cases; 64.4% of the 135 cases for which there
was a positive toxicology finding). The most common types ofunexpected drugs found
e those not reported as being voluntarily
consumed e were similar to those identified above for the entire
178 suspected DFSA cases: cannabinoids (40.2% of 87 cases) and
cocaine (32.2%). Some substances were found with greater
frequency among this group, but still in a minority of cases:
Please cite this article in press as: Du Mont J, et al., Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings, Journal ofForensic and Legal Medicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
J. Du Mont et al. / Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine xxx (2010) 1e6
participants for whom the samples had been collected, but speci-
Toxicological results by delay in presentation and unexpected findings.
Male DNA was found in 64 (42.7%) cases (). Most of the
swabs tested were vaginal swabs (49.8% of 283 swabs), which were
also the most likely to contain evidence of male DNA (42.6%,
p < 0.0001). Approximately one-third (34.4%) of rectal swabs tested
positive for male DNA and 3.7% of oral swabs
There were 47 (31.3%) participants who reported having
engaged in consensual sexual intercourse within seven days prior
to being examined. However, in 46.9% (30/64) of cases positive for
finding was unexpected as no consensual sexual
In 74.2% of suspected DFSA cases with a toxicological finding, at
least one CNS active drug and/or alcohol was found. Our ability to
detect alcohol and drugs in urine samples was time dependent with
most positive results confirmed within 24 h of the (suspected)assault. The presence of unexpected drugs was common. For 48.9%
of all suspected DFSA victims (64.4% of cases with a positive toxi-
cological finding), a drug was found that had not been reported as
voluntarily consumed. This is more than twice the rate of unex-
pected toxicological findings in Hurley et al.’schart review of DFSA
cases in Victoria, Australia, possibly because ours was a prospective
data collection that systematically screened consecutive persons
reporting sexual assault for DFSA using predefined criteria.
The voluntary consumption of substances was also common in
this sample of clients suspecting drugging. More than one-quarter
had used over-the-counter (25.6%), prescription (29.4%), and street
drugs (25.5%) in the 72 h before being examined. Hurley et al.
reported that in 49% of their suspected DFSA cases prescription
medications had been consumed and in 26% street drugs. Although
detected in less than a third (30.9%) of urine samples, alcohol was
reported to have been consumed by 85.9% of participants in our
study immediately prior to the (suspected) assault, a rate of
ingestion similar to that found by Hurley et (77%). Theseauthors cautioned that,
“alone or in combination [use of] these
substances may [a]ffect conscious state, the ability to consent to
sexual activity and proper recall of events.”
Although there has been a lot of media attention aimed at so-
called ‘date rape drugs’, in particular, GHB, MDMA, ketamine, and
flunitrazepam, we found cannabinoids, alcohol, and cocaine to be
the most common substances in the obtained urine specimens
where drugging was suspected. Even accounting for substances
reported to having been voluntarily consumed and focusing on only
Note. Percentages do not total to 100 as more than one drug could be found in
unexpected toxicological results, ‘date rape drugs’ were found in
findings confirm some of those reported in
Toxicology results were available for 178 participants.
earlier chart review and toxicology database studies.
amphetamines (13.8%), MDMA (9.2%), and ketamine (2.3%). Unex-
It is important to note that our findings may under- or over-
pected alcohol was found in just one (1.1%) case
estimate the true rate of intentional drugging in this sample. Given
Most of the anti-anxiety medications, analgesics, and street drugs
the delayed presentation of many who suspected DFSA and the
detected in urine were not expected. The presence in samples of
short half-life of some ‘date rape drugs’, it is possible that failure to
diazepam, nitrazepam, benzodiazepine metabolites (nordiazepamand oxazepam), morphine, hydromorphone, desipramine, amitrip-
tyline, and ketamine was infrequent but, without exception, unex-
Biology testing was performed on biological specimens
collected from 150 of the 184 (81.5%) clients meeting suspected
DFSA criteria. Swabs were not collected in 28 (15.2%) cases: either
participants did not agree to the testing or health care providers
determined the testing to be unnecessary based on the history of
the (suspected) assault and the time delay from the (suspected)
a Biology results were available for a total of 283 swabs.
assault to the examination. There were six (3.3%) additional
b Male DNA was denoted as found if any of the swabs tested positive.
Please cite this article in press as: Du Mont J, et al., Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings, Journal ofForensic and Legal Medicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
J. Du Mont et al. / Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine xxx (2010) 1e6
sometimes find unexpected drugs is the result of not being able to
screen for substances in a more timely However, it is
The authors have no conflict of interest.
possible that some of the unexpected drugs found in toxicology
screening are the result of client inaccuracy in recalling voluntary
The study was funded by a peer-reviewed grant from the
drug or alcohol use due to trauma or reluctance to disclose such
Ontario Women’s Health Council (now ECHO), Ministry of Health
consumption.The latter may be true, particularly in the case of
and Long-Term Care, Ontario. J. Du Mont is the recipient of a New
illicit substances such as cannabinoids, where their role in DFSA is
Investigator Award in Gender and Health from the Canadian
less clear. As well, cannabinoids and cocaine can be detected
Institutes of Health Research and is supported by the Atkinson
beyond the 72 h time frame for screening for their use established
Male DNA was found in 42.7% of suspected DFSA cases with
biological results and was most likely to be identified in samples
Ethics approval was granted by the institutional ethics review
collected on vaginal swabs. Notably, in 46.9% of cases with male
boards of each participating hospital.
DNA, the client denied having had consensual sexual intercourse inthe week prior to being examined. Although occasionally DNA
evidence has been found up to 10 days post-consensual sexualintercourse,this latter finding lends support to complaints that
The authors are indebted to participating sites’ sexual assault
a sexual assault occurred.In cases in which no consensual
nurses, physicians, and program coordinators and the women and
sexual intercourse was reported and no male DNA was found, it is
men who participated in this study. They would also like to thank
possible that no sexual assault had occurred. However, a negativefi
the project advisory committee, Margaret McGregor, Roger Frap-
nding may also have been related to the time delay between the
pier, and Kathy McKague for their assistance with the Drug-Facili-
(suspected) assault and when the swabs were taken. The assailant
may have worn a condom or may not have ejaculated. In addition,the client may have washed, bathed, showered, douched, defe-cated, and/or urinated prior to reporting to a site e activities that
would further have reduced the ability to detect DNA.
This study is subject to several limitations. With regard to
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Please cite this article in press as: Du Mont J, et al., Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA findings, Journal ofForensic and Legal Medicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.05.004
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