Submission Drugs: What They Are, Types, Effects, And What To Do About Them
Chemical submission is a method of violence that has become popular in recent years in various countries and that is why it is important to inform what these types of substances consist of.
Submission drugs are substances used for different criminal purposes such as robbery, sexual abuse and/or rape. These substances can completely or partially annul the will of the victims and it is also common for them not to remember anything of what happened or, if they have memories, they are usually incomplete.
In this article We will see what submission drugs consist of and we will also write down some advice on how to act in case we suspect that someone could be using these substances with us or someone close to us.
The use of submissive drugs is a criminal practice that has been spreading around the world in recent years, being used for various purposes, including robbery, sexual abuse and/or rape. The National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences of Spain has revealed some data in this regard, among which it is worth highlighting that It is estimated that 1 in 3 sexual assaults could have occurred while the victim was under the influence of submissive drugs
Submission drugs are substances that cause various effects in victims such as a state of unconsciousness or semi-consciousness that can cause confusion and that also makes it difficult to recognize what happened while under the effects of this type of substance, as victims experience partial or total amnesia of the events.
Experts say chemical submission is primarily used to sexually assault victims; However, there have also been cases in which this method was used to rob elderly people in their homes, in order to modify the behavior of people with difficulties sleeping or to obtain money or goods when the victim is under the control. effects of these drugs.
Depending on the way in which the ingestion of submissive drugs has occurred, according to the scientific literature, there are 3 types of chemical submission
1. Premeditated or proactive chemical submission
In this case we would be talking about those circumstances in which the assailant deliberately and covertly provides the victim with one or more incapacitating substances or disinhibitory drugs (submission drugs) with the aim of sexually subduing her and/or robbing her.
2. Opportunistic chemical submission
In this other case we would be talking about those cases in which the assailant takes advantage of a victim who is intoxicated by one or several substances or alcohol that he had previously ingested voluntarily; In other words, here the assailant would have taken advantage of people who were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Finally, in these circumstances the victim has voluntarily ingested alcohol and/or other types of substances and, at the same time, The assailant would have covertly administered some incapacitating substance in larger quantities with the aim of taking advantage of the victim.
What are the most used submission drugs?
Within the category of drugs or substances that are usually used for chemical submission we can find a wide variety. Next we are going to see which are the most used submission drugs and we will also explain their main effects.
1. Alcohol
To begin with, alcohol could be considered the substance most used in chemical submission because it is the one that is most socially accepted and in addition, the victims could be previously consuming it voluntarily, so that the assailants can take advantage of the situation and attack at those moments when the victim is in worse conditions. It is an example of opportunistic chemical submission
2. Benzodiazepines
These substances (e.g., flunitrazepam, lorazepam, zopiclone, zolpidem, etc.) are hypnotic, neurological, anesthetic or sedative medications that should be consumed exclusively by prescription and under medical prescription for various health reasons; However, currently many assailants resort to these substances in order to dilute them in the victims’ drinks while they are partying so that they ingest them involuntarily. When ingested with a drink, drowsiness may occur so that the victim is left in a total or partial state of unconsciousness.
3. Liquid ecstasy
Ecstasy would be one of the main substances used for chemical submission, since we would be talking about a colorless, colorless and tasteless drug, making it imperceptible to those who ingest this substance. Another reason why this substance is used quite frequently for criminal purposes is that A few hours after being ingested, it is already undetectable in the body so it usually leaves no trace.
There are those who ingest ecstasy of their own free will due to its effects such as a possible “increase in sociability”, however, it can also cause drowsiness, confusion, obtundation and headache, so it is very dangerous since when A person who consumes this substance becomes more vulnerable to possible assailants. For all these reasons, its consumption is inadvisable even for recreational purposes.
4. Burundanga
What is popularly known as burundanga, is also called scopolamine and It is one of the most used drugs of submission as it produces hallucinogenic effects in victims in addition to sleep , which can facilitate submission. On the other hand, this substance can also cause hypertension and, if ingested in large doses, could cause cardiac and/or respiratory deficiencies, which is why it is considered an extremely dangerous substance.
You may be interested: “Burundanga, the drug capable of nullifying your will”
5. Ketamine
Among the most used submission drugs, it is also worth highlighting ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that is usually used for anesthesia in the field of medicine and veterinary medicine; However, due to its effects, it has unfortunately begun to be used for chemical submission purposes.
This substance usually appears as a translucent liquid, although it can also be found in various forms: in the form of a white powder (white crystals) or in capsules or tablets. It is because of that This substance could be administered by different routes: intramuscular injections, rectal, nasal, oral or even pulmonary when smoked when it is in the form of a white powder.
In the middle of 2022, cases have spread in which the victims had received a puncture in the thigh or other parts of the body when they were partying and some experts assure that one of the substances most commonly injected in this type of cases is ketamine. It is important that when a person detects that they have received a puncture or suspects it, they ask for help immediately and, if possible, go to someone they trust and call the authorities or the security forces as soon as possible.
Related article: “Characteristics of ketamine as a psychotropic drug for depression”
6. Butyrolactoma
Butyrolactone, also known as GBL (gamma-butyrolactone), It is a precursor of GHB that is usually diluted in water or any type of soft drink because it should not be mixed with alcoholic beverages. This central nervous system depressant is usually taken orally and could knock out a person in a few minutes, curing the effects between 1 and 3 hours. The method of use of this substance is usually through a few drops that are added to the victims’ drink, so we must be very careful and not lose sight of our drink at any time.
The short-term symptoms of this substance are usually: headaches or headaches, tremors, urinary incontinence or breathing difficulties; while the long-term effects are the following: euphoria, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, memory loss, unconsciousness, decreased heart and breathing rate, drop in body temperature, seizures and there is also the risk of victim enters a coma or causes death.
Warning signs of aggression with submission drugs
The most common symptoms when a person is under the influence of submissive drugs They are the ones we are going to list below:
Anterograde amnesia: inability to remember new events while someone is under the influence.
Sedation: so the ability to pay attention, wakefulness and respond to the attacker’s aggression are diminished.
Hallucinogenic effects, as well as spatial and temporal disorientation of the victim.
Disinhibition: so the victim could accept acts that under normal conditions he would not have accepted.
On the other hand, these are the main warning signs that you could have been a victim of submission drugs, so it is important that you take them into account and act immediately by seeking help:
You have difficulty moving or you move less freely than usual.
Your head starts to hurt.
You feel nauseous or feel like vomiting.
You’ve gotten very sleepy.
You have blurred vision.
You see or hear strange things.
Along with the signs mentioned above, we must add the signs that could alert you that you have been a victim of sexual abuse due to chemical submission :
You find yourself in a state of disorientation.
You are not able to remember what has happened in the last hours or even in the last moments.
You have your clothes on incorrectly or even notice that you are missing something.
You find yourself in an unknown place and you don’t remember how you got there.
You meet unknown people.
When you meet someone you know or your friends tell you that the last time they saw you you were acting strange.
This last sign is important to keep in mind and, in case someone is behaving strangely, your friends would be on the lookout and not let that person out of your sight at any time and under any circumstances until they are safe in his house.
How to act if you have been a victim or have any suspicions?
If a person feels that they have suffered a puncture or sting in some area of their body or even that their drink has a different color and also if they feel unwell to tell people in their immediate environment, You should immediately ask for help from potential witnesses or people nearby that they could provide help and get her out of the danger zone.
As soon as possible, you should contact the Emergency Assistance Service, which in the European Union and even in some Latin American countries is telephone number 112, in order to inform them of what happened and thus you could receive medical assistance and protection from the Security Forces and Bodies as soon as possible, as well as so that they can search for the aggressor. While assistance arrives, the victim of chemical submission should be accompanied and safe in order to avoid any type of aggression.
It is important to go to a health center quickly so that professionals can carry out the pertinent evaluation and analysis in order to detect possible submissive drugs in the body that could confirm signs of crime.
In the case of those close to the victim, they should not be separated from them at any time so that they are safe and it is also important that they accompany them to the health center. They could also be the ones to notify the victim’s family so that they can come to her aid as soon as possible.
You may be interested: “What is sexual violence and what consequences can it leave?”
Prevention tips against possible aggression with chemical submission drugs
In addition to the steps to follow as a response to drugs of submission, it is important to keep in mind some tips that are helpful to prevent possible aggression with this type of substances:
Drugs should not be consumed because, apart from their harmful effects, they make us more vulnerable to the aggressor.
Do not abuse alcoholic beverages.
Watch what we drink and eat at all times so that they do not give us any submissive drugs.
Pay full attention when we are being served food or drink.
Do not abandon your food or drink at any time or leave it under the surveillance of strangers.
Be suspicious when they offer us a drink or food that we have not ordered.
