Police issue warning over date rape drugs
(CNS): Following unconfirmed reports regarding the possibility that drinks may have been spiked at social gatherings and bars on Grand Cayman the RCIPS is issuing a warning for the public to be extra vigilant over the holiday season. Police said that while there is no medical or other direct evidence of the date rape drug ‘Rohypnol’ being used in any specific incident there have been a number of reports to the police from people who believe that their drinks have been spiked. The police advised that everyone should exercise awareness and remain alert in order to avoid becoming a victim of a crime over the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Although ‘Rohypnol’ has never been seized or seen by police in Cayman the ‘date rape drug’, is said to produce memory loss and decreases a person’s resistance, when combined with alcohol. When placed in a drink, the drug Rohypnol dissolves quickly and takes effect within minutes, causing victims to lose consciousness and memory for hours. Other common symptoms are dizziness, confusion, decreased blood pressure and urine retention.
If a person is rendered disoriented, this could lead to sexual assaults especially against women, but the drug is not gender biased. Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden of the Specialist Support Operation of the RCIPS advised people to be wary about accepting drinks from anyone you don’t know well or long enough to trust. “If you are accepting a drink, make sure it’s from an unopened container and that you open it yourself,” he said. “Don’t put your drink down and leave it unattended, even to go to the restroom and asked people to notify others about the effects of dangerous drugs.”
Anyone who thinks they have been a victim should notify the authorities and seek professional medical help immediately.
“To date there has not been any medical evidence to support various suspicions, neither has there been any seizure of drug as described in the Caymans,” Bodden said but he encouraged anyone with information regarding such suspicions to notify the RCIPS immediately.
Category: Local News
Last night I had 15 rum and cokes and I think at least one of them was spiked. I experienced nausea, dizziness, confusion and memory loss.
This morning over $100 was missing from my wallet, although I can’t rule out a sexual motive as I have been told I am still a very attractive man despite my advancing years and receding hairline.
Happy to see press release (FINALLY) but disappointed to see how much emphasis has been placed on the word "unconfirmed"..it is almost as if it was issued to placate someone but written to convince people that it isn’t really happening.
Sadly…as with the other increasing crime here…we all know that it is happening and that there have been women attacked/raped or molested. The only way to convince people of this ugly reality, is by having these women speak up, come forward and tell your story.
As for the person who thinks this is imported…:) poor you…what a shock you are in for!
Ladies…gents, take care out there!
To the posted of "So when I come to visit the" I am a resident of West Bay and wil be the first to say I dont live in fear. There have been robberies thoughout the island and the police are issuing a warning of the possibility of a date rape drug being on island. When on island it not very difficult to stay safe, use the same level of alertness and caution as you would anywhere else in the world. Personally I cant think of very many people who live elsewhere who would leave car doors unlocked or walk alone down a dark road. People (including children) are abducted, raped and murdered in high numbers around the world on a daily basis. No matter where you are – inlcuding the Caribbean it is important to use common sense and be aware of your surroundings.
You can fear something bad could happen to you every day, everywhere and anywhere.
If everybody lived in fear, nobody would do anything.
Relax and enjoy. The weather is fabulous right now!
So when I come to visit the Island, I have to be careful going to West Bay, I can’t go have a drink because someone may spike it. I can’t walk around at night for fear of someone robbing me or raping me. Don’t stop to get gas, because the station may be getting robbed. This is getting insane. Think I might try to get a refund of my $5,000 trip. Why waste my money when I am going to be fearing something bad could happen to me?
"So when I come to visit the Island, I have to be careful going to West Bay, I can’t go have a drink because someone may spike it. I can’t walk around at night for fear of someone robbing me orraping me. Don’t stop to get gas, because the station may be getting robbed. This is getting insane. Think I might try to get a refund of my $5,000 trip. Why waste my money when I am going to be fearing something bad could happen to me? "
There are 2 other beautiful islands in the Cayman Islands. Pay us a visit and we guarantee none of the above will happen. See you on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Where are you travelling from? All of these things could basically happen anywhere in the world, not just the Cayman islands.
PLEASE name one, just ONE, place where you don’t have to be aware of the random acts of violence! Don’t be so foolish to think there is any vacation destination in the world that doesnt have some sort of issue!
Something bad could happen to you in any town, city or country in the world. Look what happened to the Holloway girl in Aruba. Or what about tourists being kidnapped in Mexico. Or the murder rate in Jamaica. Or the gun toting teens and even military psychiatrist in the US who all shot and killed many many people. Stop spouting your nonsense, If you dont want to come, then dont. Simple.
If you’re that scared then you probably shouldn’t step outside your house…EVER. There’s nowhere in the world that is completely safe, but I live here and have lived here for over 20 years and I still feel safer than I do in other countries I’ve visited. I could easily look at the news in the US or UK or South America or Africa or anywhere really and look at the crime reports and not want to go. The thing is you can’t live your life in fear; you just have to be aware. Of course things are changing and I’m not going to say that I’m happy with the increasing crime rate but there’s no need to cancel a vacation. It’s just a warning to be careful and to be aware of your surroundings.
It’s taken some time now for this report to come out and I’m glad it has finally been published. These things need to be made public and at the same time we ourselves need to report these incidents to the police. We need to be proactive about things.
Does crime not exist where you are from?? Do you have another vacation destination to go to where crime doesn’t exist??
Cayman is still your best bet for a safe vacation compared to other places. I was robbed in Ft. Lauderdale earlier this year.
OH wow you are so right! Good thing ABSOLUTELY NONE of those things happen in theUS Caribbean islands I have ever been to then you might want to take that $5K and buy yourself a big plastic bubble.
Hey, give me back my bubble!
Doesn’t sound to me like you have to do anything different from the millions of people who are living in the US (and other parts of the world) who have to be aware of their surroundings at all times, so not sure what exactly your problem is?
We know that you live with that fear on a daily basis and you spent $5,000 in your dreams. Murder, rape, carjacking, abductions etc are rampant everywhere in the world. Leave your worries behind; just bring your common sense with you and you would be better off than back home
Let me clarify something for you! I live in the States, I live with millions and millions of people, therefore crime is going to happen. I do NOT fear my country. I will not go to an inner city late at night. I will not go to a bar by myself, etc. I DO live in a neighborhood in NJ that I can leave my door open. As a matter of fact, I have never locked my doors, in my home or car. I have no fear. I will face the worse of them without a hesitation! My point is that everytime I look at the news for Cayman it is something else bad happening. Your population is LOW. The amount of crime that is happening and going unsolved is insane, not to mention the violence that is now happening during the crimes. The Island is small, there should be no issue in finding who did these crimes. I am coming to the Island for a very special vacation, my daughters graduation! She and I are coming for a week to enjoy the beauty. I sure as hell don’t want to worry about the stupid crimes that are happening. The recent crime with elderly being hurt, is the lowest of low! I tell my friends all the time about your beautiful Island. Some of my friends have visited recently. I come to the Island at least twice a year! Why? Because and loved it – minus the bank robbery. I love it, but the news is so depressing. It is like reading the news in the US, just your population is so much lower. Fire Bombing?? Seriously? Hurting elderly? Seriously? Such a shame! $5000 is a drop in the bucket (I work hard for my money), considering that is just getting to the Island. I am sure a couple thousand more would be dropped when I am there, provided I am not afraid to go shopping, go out to get a drink, walk the streets, walk the beach at night, etc. When I was last there, I felt so comfortable! People were amazing! No matter where my mother and I went, we were greeted by nice, polite people! I walked the beaches at night alone and not once was scared. i will have to second think that now! I was shocked when I learned of the crime that was happening! How can this bad stuff be happening to such a nice Island? I sure hope that the crime decreases. Crime is crime! Purse snatching, accidents, etc are the norm, not fire bombings, not hotels being robbed, not banks being robbed etc. The crime is truly getting serious! Peace my friends!
“To date there has not been any medical evidence to support various suspicions………….."
Of course there hasn’t as I’d wager that 95% of the women that are getting attacked under the influence of this drug know
a) this drug leaves the system so quickly and can also affect the victim’s memory – by the time she remembers (some of) what happened there are no traces left
b) it is completely useless reporting rape/harrasment to the police as NOTHING will be done
c) we’re still stuck in the 19th century with our attitudes towards rape – ie she wanted it; her skirt was too short; what was she doing out at that time of night? etc. etc.. – can’t you just hear the comments!
d) THE POLICE WILL JUST DENY IT’S HAPPENING……“To date there has not been any medical evidence to support various suspicions, neither has there been any seizure of drug as described in the Caymans.”
Hey Einstein – if the police are going to deny it’s happening why do you think the RCIP are the ones who are issuing the public warning? Surely, you can see if they plan on denying things happen they wouldn’t be telling everyone about them!
Simple: Never leave your drinks unattended. And wives stick beside your friends and/or husband. If you drink a beer, stick your thumb in the mouth of it when you have to walk around to see people.
What else will the imported saviors bring to further corrupt Cayman? This metropolis is slowly but surely creeping towards Dodge City where no one is safe and the threats are in every corner. Yet our political leadership is still entertaining these foolish expansionist programs.
Please take this very seriously. Hold on to your drink or leave it in carge of a friend if you go dancing.This is for real, it’s here.
Good advice but it will do you no good if it is the bartender slipping the substance into the drink. This has happened here before and itis a known fact, usually kept quiet by the owner of said establishment. To not identify this point of delivery does not address the problem. It is an act akin to poisoning and anyone caught doing so should be charged with attempted murder and treated as such.
How many months ago was it that the Police denied any string of rapes, which coincidentally ties in to around the exact time period when I was warned about the content of this "new" official press release.
It is in situations such as this that I Iose patience and respect for the RCIPS.
I will continue to heed the advice given to me by my friends months ago about this!!