Drug rape

[Sarah11]

I think my drink was spiked on a night out one week before Xmas.
I woke up in a strange house, naked, next to someone I didn't know.
To cut a long story short, this person has now been arrested and bailed until July.
I now live in more fear than before, he has now been told my name and yet I can't be told what he's said or anything about him really.
Does the fact that they arrested him and have bailed him, mean that the police think they have a case or would this happen anyway?
I'm so scared of what July will bring. Will it go to court (which brings more fear and uncertainty but is what I want) or will the police just drop it?
The police have no forensic evidence from me from the day it happened. I did go to my local A&E when I realised what had happened - I went there asking them to test my blood & urine to see if my drink had been spiked. The dr there called the police, they wouldn't get their police dr unless I was making it official. At that stage I was just in a state of total confusion. I wasn't able to work out what on earth had happened to me for 5-6 hrs never mind decide about that. It was also 1 week before Xmas and all I kept thinking was I would ruin my 2 childrens and husband' s Xmas. How was I supposed to explain it to my husband when I couldn't explain it all to myself. I did tell him 3 weeks later and he came with me when I decided in Feb to go to the police.
I'm just hoping and praying that it isn't all for nothing.
I was supposed to return to work today - have been off sick since I told my husband 3 months ago. I couldn't face it though - he lives 2 miles from where I work and he works in my area of responsibilty with my job (the police told me that much when I asked them as they know how scared I am in case he knows what I look like).
All I keep reading is the terrible conviction rate and wonder where all this will lead.

[Sarah11]

Hi.
Can anyone help me with the likleyhood of a case going to trial if no forensics were gathered from me at the time? The police are definately still continuing enquiries and speaking to people but they've said to me that it's a difficult case as they can't prove that the assault took place.
I would be really grateful for any help/advice or other's experience of this.
Thanks

[Stacey]

Hi Sarah, I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I think you're so brave for reporting, you should be proud of yourself for that. I was also raped last December, I didn't report to the police until two months later for various reasons, so I have no forensic evidence either. The police haven't really commented about how hard it will be to prove etc, but they have been making enquiries and my rapist is out on bail at the moment. I will find out if I can go to court within the next couple of weeks hopefully, unless they have to extend the investigation.

It is true that sometimes forensic evidence can be vital, although it doesn't always mean that if you don't have it then the case is lost. I suppose each situation has its own individual circumstances, so it's hard to say. For example, I have no forensic evidence, but the police took statements from everyone I came into contact with in the aftermath in order to document my general state of mind after it happened. There may be something which suggests something traumatic took place to you also?

Let me know how things go for you, I'm sure I'll be posting about my situation on here in the future (hopefully good news&#33

Stace x

[Sarah11]

Hi Stacey,
Thanks so much for replying. The police have got my GP report which says that I've been seeing her regularly since it happened and that I've been signed off sick and put on anti-depressents. They are also waiting for the A&E report which will confirm that I went there in the morning. They have also said they will contact the counsellor I was seeing but as yet haven't done so. He is on bail until mid July (arrested beginning of April), I know the police have lots to do and other cases but it just seems to be hanging over everything and then there's always the worry of what will happen then. In some ways I would dread it going to court but then again don't know how I would feel if it all came to nothing.
Keep in touch
Love Sarah x

[Stacey]

I agree, it has been a long wait, and it feels like forever... Hang in there. I suppose it's only by reporting at all that things can improve. I shall keep you posted!

[sarahn]

hi there, i'm new to this, but i just came across the forum and read your experiences. i was raped last august, after having my drink spiked. i believe it was a glass of water that was spiked in a bar by a man i had never met before. this was the only drink i had that night that my friend and i had not kept an eagle eye on. we sat and shared a table with two guys and a girl as we drank in a bar in soho. i remember nothing for around 5-6 hours, until finding myself in a bar i thought i had never seen before, screaming hysterically and missing my bag and all my personal items. i left the bar and went looking for my bag around soho, before returning to a friend's house. once i arrived there confused and upset by the loss of my bag, i simply passed out on the sofa, only realising the next morning that i was covered in bruises and blood over my entire body at this point i realised i had been raped. i went to the police on the next morning ( i spent the previous day trying to cancel cards, get keys made and attempt to borrow some money) and was taken to a specialist centre to be examined. the medical staff there were outstanding and made a terrible experience bearable. my tests were sent to be examined, the police took my statement,kept the clothes i was wearing that night and did not contact me again for four months.

i am interested to learn of your experiences as i feel my case was not given any real consideration by the police despite the presence of a specialist unit dealing with it. the friend who was with me that night and felt she could identify all three people we had spent time with, one of whom had left at the same time as me and whose description fitted the only memory i had from the evening, was never interviewed. neither was the friend whose house i returned to, despite having seen my injuries. cctv was not collected, barstafff were not interviewed, phone records were not looked at. they finally gave me my forensic results in january of this year in a phone call, telling me in one breath that both the anal and vaginal swabs had tested positive for semen and in the next that they did not have any leads on a possible attacker and that the case was closed.

i don't know how to feel, knowing that the man who did this to me will never be punished. sometimes i think it might be easier to accept it this way, rather than go through the unbearable strain of a trial and have him acquitted, but i feel very angry and upset at the lack of effort to apprehend someone who has done something so awful. i feel scared that there is no protection for women at all. i have been unable to work since all this happened, but i have had to change GP as i have moved house in the past 3 months ( i was homeless and living in a hostel at the time of the rape), and my new GP is reluctant to sign my certificates for benefit for more than a few more weeks,meaning that i will have to return to work.

i would be really interested to hear more from those who have had different experiences with the police, but similar feelings about what happened. i am particularly keen to hear about how others are dealing with day to day pressures like work. it hasn't been possible for me to talk to friends or family about these issues....

[diana_holbourn]

The behaviour of the police sounds disgusting. If you feel up to making a complaint against them, there's some information about how to go about it here: How do I make a complaint against the police?

One thing you should also have been tested for, which it sounds as if you might not have been, was to see if there were any drugs in your system, since some can be detected up to 72 hours after an incident.

[NIAMH]

hey everyone im new so im hopin that im doin this rite.

last new years eve i was out for a drink with me friends and my bfriend i went out to the garden of the bar for a smoke (i would have smoked in da bar but me bfriend is an asmathic) and some creep came up to me and started feelin me up which didnt go down to well cause i was just recoverin from a previous rape so i slaped him and he slaped me reli hard and knocked me out then i remember wakin up with me best friend holdin me and she told me that some stranger called barry scared of the creep.we decided to go home so i went bac into the bar to get me bag so i went in and ordered a coke, the next thing i remember is wakin up in the bake of the bar naked and the bar tender and about 3 others were standin round me one of the other people said look sleepin beutys awake i started scremin and the bar tender slaped me across the face sayin shut up ***** the one by one the sexuly asultad me it was about 6 hours later and the rapeists were away and me bfriend came runin down to me and took me to the hospital.

~niamh~

[sarahn]

oh my god, what a hellish experience. i know i haven't had a great experience with the police following my rape, but i'm wondering if you reported it to them?

i ask because i had been the victim of a previous attempted rape also reported to the police and i always got a feeling that they thought i was a bit paranoid or overreacted easily and was crying rape and that they may not have taken me as seriously because of this

hope things are improving for you and that you and your boyfriend are still together and doing ok

xx

[NIAMH]

yeah my bfriend is reli understandin and no i didnt tell the police because the last time i was raped the police didnt give two damns my best friend and my bfriend is the onli ppl i told.

~niamh~