Examination of Firearms Review: 2007 to 2010 - Interpol

abuse found by routine toxicological analysis, with benzodiazepines most
commonly found followed by other hypnotics.
Alleged sexual assault cases in North Ireland from 1999 to 2005 were studied
[89]. The estimated average blood alcohol concentration remained broadly
similar (218 mg% in 1999 vs 217 mg% in 2005), while there was an increase in
the detection of antidepressants, recreational drugs, benzodiazepines, and
analgesics, some of which were also associated with alcohol consumption.
The study, like others, failed to identify specific date-rape drugs, such as GHB
or Rohypnol (flunitrazepam). Likewise, a study by the U.K.'s National Forensic
Services also suggested that there was no evidence for the use of
flunitrazepam in DFSA during its 3-year investigation [90]. Alcohol and drug
consumption, sexual abuse history, sexual impulsivity, and risk of recidivism
were evaluated for 104 convicts in Brazil. It was concluded that alcohol use or
abuse was associated with the perpetration of sexual aggression. The role of
alcohol consumption seems to be greater in sexual offenders against boys
than against girls [91]. A study by recruiting sexual assault complainants in the
U.S. to provide urine and hair specimens for analysis of 45 drugs estimated
that 43% of 144 subjects, and 7% of 859 complainants, were characterized as
victims of DFSA [92] Results of toxicological analysis of blood and urine
specimens from 1806 female victims of alleged non-consensual sexual activity
in Sweden were reported [93]. It was found that 772 cases had ethanol only,
while 215 cases had ethanol together with at least one other drug. The mean
BAC was 1.24 g/L. Amphetamine and THC were the most commonly detected
illicit drugs in blood or urine (262 cases). Among prescription drugs,
sedative-hypnotics such as diazepam and zopiclone were the most commonly
found, along with SSRI antidepressants and various opiate analgesics.
A DFSA case involving the use of acepromazine (a phenothiazine tranquilizer)
was reported [94]. The presence of acepromazine was not detected in the
blood but it was subsequently detected in the victim's hair, collected a month
and a half after the incident, at a concentration of 31 pg/mg. A commonly
available over-the-counter drug, tetrahydrozoline, was reported to induce an
obtunded compliant victim with no memory of the period during the sexual
assault [95]. It may be warranted to include imidazoline derivatives in the
testing for cases of DFSA. A case of a 24-year-old girl who was sexually
assaulted after administration of GHB, and morphine was reported [96].
Toxicological analysis of her hair using GC/MS with 2/3-cm segmentation of all
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