Chemsex & Discreditation
Perpetrators often use the context of chemsex to commit abuse, knowing that the victim's drug use will be used against them if they ever try to report it.
How victims are silenced
"They wanted it"
Claiming that because the victim was in a chemsex environment, they consented to everything that happened, regardless of their actual state.
"They are unreliable"
Using the victim's drug use to claim their memory is flawed or that they are hallucinating the abuse.
"They are a criminal"
Threatening to report the victim for drug possession or use if they report the sexual assault.
"It's just the scene"
Normalizing violence and boundary-crossing as "part of the lifestyle" to make the victim feel their pain is invalid.
The system's blind spot
Many police officers and judges do not understand the dynamics of chemsex. They may see a "consensual drug party" where there was actually a calculated predatory act.
- Consent is not permanent: Consenting to drugs or sex at 10 PM does not mean consenting to everything at 3 AM.
- Incapacity: If you are too high to stand or speak, you are legally incapable of giving consent.
- Predatory Intent: Perpetrators often stay sober or use less to maintain control over others who are incapacitated.
Your drug use is not a license to abuse you
No matter what you took or where you were, you have the right to bodily autonomy. The crime is the abuse, not your presence in the scene.