5 victims of rape in 2 weeks

In a recent two-week span, five young women have reported rapes to Lodi police. Each one was at a local bar before the assault. And each believes that some sort of drug had been slipped into her drink.

It's a trend that unsettles police, who usually see far fewer sexual assault reports. In all of 2007, eight forcible rapes were reported in Lodi, according to FBI statistics.

At least one victim wants to let other women know what can happen, though she was disturbed to learn about the number of such reports.

"I really want to push awareness. This is ridiculous," said the woman, who is being called "Mary" to protect her identity.

At age 26, Mary isn't new to drinking. She knows her limits, and she's also careful not to do something that could harm her future career: She went to a police academy and wants to become a police officer.

In the academy, she even learned about rape reports — how to interview victims and process evidence.

"I didn't really think twice about it; it was just something I needed to learn," Mary said. "Then when you become a victim, it's completely different."

Common date rape drugs

GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyric acid, is the most common drug. It can be liquid with no color or smell, in a white powder or a pill. It is legal in the United States because it is used to treat sleeping disorders.

Rohypnol is a pill. The manufacturers reformulated it so it turns blue when added to liquids. It is illegal in the U.S. but is legal in Europe and Mexico, where it is used to treat sleeping problems and as an anesthetic.

Ketamine is a white powder. It is legal in the U.S. for use as an anesthetic, and is commonly used by veterinarians.
Source: National Women's Health Information Center at 4woman.gov

How to get help

Contact law enforcement as soon as possible, before showering, changing clothes or urinating. In Lodi, call 333-6727. In Galt, call 366-7000. In unincorporated San Joaquin County, call 468-4400. Or dial 9-1-1.

Contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network's hotline at (800) 656-HOPE (656-4673). The agency also has a 24-hour online hotline at rainn.org (click on "Get Help").

For a local hotline, contact the Women's Center of San Joaquin's 24-hour sexual assault help line at 465-4997.
— News-Sentinel staff

On a recent night, Mary and a friend went to a Lodi bar, where the friend was venting about a past relationship. Meanwhile, Mary's police academy training was still running in the background as she noticed who came and left the bar.

"I never drink out of a glass; I always drink out of a bottle, but it was dollar-beer night so I was drinking out of a glass," she said.

They started talking with a couple seated at the bar. Then at some point she and her friend had a shot. She has basically no memory of what happened next.

"I remember three beers and two shots," Mary said. "I remember waking up at 5:45 with a guy on top of me, not being able to move or say anything. When I came to, I said, 'What the hell just happened? What the hell just happened?' They gave me some BS story about how I was too drunk and I crawled into his bed."

Mary had never met the man. She found herself in a strange apartment. Some people who lived there gave her a short ride back to the bar, so she knows the apartment wasn't far, but she said she was so distraught and upset that she had no idea where she'd been.

She later learned that the couple at the bar had given her friend a ride home, and she was not harmed. Her friend had been taking photos all night, and the suspect is likely to appear in the photos, Mary said.

Mary doesn't remember what happened in the bar and only has those photos to go on. She went to police and is waiting for blood test results to see if a date rape drug is detected. That can take six to eight weeks, said Lodi Police Detective Virginia Elder, who is investigating the rape cases.

Mary isn't alone.

Between Sept. 17 and Sept. 30, a total of five women, all in their early to mid-20s, have made similar police reports. It's definitely not normal for Lodi, said Detective Sgt. Tod Patterson.

Police have seen no links between the women, except for two friends who made a report together. The incidents have happened at more than one bar, so that doesn't narrow down the investigation, either.

If a date rape drug such as GHB is being used, sometimes the victims don't report the rape fast enough before the drug wears off.

In one case, the bartender probably should have cut the woman off, since she'd had a lot to drink, Elder said. In another case, the victim said she only had two drinks, and both the bartender and a friend backed the story. And another victim said she was only drinking soda.

Unless police find a common suspect in the cases, it could just be an unsettling coincidence.

Regardless of the outcome, though, police, prosecutors and the victims alike want others to know how to protect themselves. In most such incidents, the victims weren't thinking about possibly being drugged when they went out for a few drinks.

"They're setting down their drinks while going outside to smoke or go to the bathroom. Or someone is giving them a drink instead of getting it directly from the bartender," Elder said.

Never setting down a drink and making sure it comes straight from the bartender are two ways to avoid drugs. Another safeguard is to make sure you stay with friends who are trustworthy, and that everyone looks out for each other, said Scott Berkowitz, president of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

There are no solid statistics on the number of rapes committed when the victim is drugged, Berkowitz said. Some numbers are gathered from emergency room admissions, but those are only the cases where extreme amounts of drugs require immediate medical attention.

In most cases, the victim wakes up and realizes she or he has no idea what happened.

"Most of the time, they blame themselves and are too embarrassed to call police," Elder said.

She worries that there could be more than five victims since some never report rapes. But sometimes clues are left behind that can be tied to a suspect, and police encourage all victims to come forward.

Mary had nothing but good things to say about how officers and detectives handled her case, and she wants others to report such crimes.

Sometimes it's not too late to detect drugs in the blood. And even if drugs weren't involved, prosecutors can still seek a rape charge, said San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Kristine Reed.

Under California law, someone is guilty of rape if the victim was prevented from resisting because they were under the influence of an intoxicating or anesthetizing substance.

Sometimes victims don't even know for sure if they were assaulted, but it's always better to get to police as soon as possible, said Reed, who oversees the child abuse and sexual assault unit.

In Mary's case, she knew something had happened — especially when she awoke in a strange home and had bruising on her chest.

"Thank God they didn't do anything I couldn't recover from," she said.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I guess."

Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

WY wrote on Oct 11, 2008 7:49 PM:

" It's been going on for sometime now. We're just now hearing about it in a public forum. It's nothing new in Lodi.
It didn't just start happening. "

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