When it comes to date rape, both men and women can be affected – however it is mostly women that are the target. According to a White House Report, 1 in 5 women in college are the victims of a sexual assault, including date rape.
The most common date rape drugs used include GHB, rohypnol and ketamine. One or more of these pills are typically slipped into a young woman’s drink and as she consumes the beverage, she is unknowingly consuming the date rape drug as well. As a result, she begins to lose control over herself completely – experiencing dizziness, disorientation, and loss of consciousness. Once the drug takes this effect, the predator who targeted the woman is able to move forward with his/her plans to follow through with date rape.
Undercover Colors, “the first fashion company empowering women to prevent sexual assault”, is taking a stand against the increasing rates of date rape amongst women, specifically those in college. The company was created by a group of North Carolina State University students who have already raised $100,000 for product development.
The product that is making such a splash from Undercover Colors is a clear nail polish that when dipped in an alcoholic beverage, will change colors if there is a date rape drug like GHB or ketamine present. At that point, the woman wearing the polish can simply dump the drink and get away from the individual who is looking to drug her.
While many believe the new product is groundbreaking, other activists against rape are singing a different tune. Many of these individuals are speaking out against the nail polish, stating that it provides a false sense of security for women, and that the product is not addressing the real problem, which is rape. According to Rebecca Nagle, a co-director for FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, states, “The problem isn’t that women don’t know when there are roofies in their drink; the problem is people putting roofies in their drink in the first place.”
Both sides have excellent points, and while controversy encapsulates this new product, it seems as though both the nail polish and the activists will have a place on the scene for their voices to be heard. Whether or not one side will support the other is a question that has to unfold itself, however the good news is that date rape and the drugs that are involved with it are being brought into conversations nationwide.
