Understanding Date Rape

Posted By The Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass || 13-Nov-2014

Date rape is a serious accusation. This type of sex crime refers to an unwanted sexual encounter or sexual assault between two people who are known to each other. An individual may be accused of this sex crime by a girlfriend or boyfriend, by a friend, by a casual date, or by any known acquaintance. As with other types of sex crimes, a conviction for date rape leads to significant, lifelong consequences.

What Are Date Rape Drugs?
Date rape drugs are certain types of drugs that a person may allegedly give to another person without consent or knowledge for the purpose of facilitating a sexual assault. It is not necessary for date rape drugs to be involved in this type of sex crime; however, it is common. Date rape drugs, such as Rohypnol, GHB, and ketamine are fast-acting, causing the alleged victim to become weak, confused, and sometimes unconscious. Date rape drugs are a particular problem at parties in which alcohol is served because they can be surreptitiously added to an alleged victim’s drink without that person’s knowledge.

Why Is Poor Communication a Factor?
Poor communication is a significant factor in date rape because one partner may misinterpret sexual messages from the other partner. For example, an individual accused of date rape may have believed the sexual act was consensual. For those accused of date rape, consulting a skilled criminal defense attorney is essential. A criminal lawyer can review different accounts of the incident to build a case.

Which Penalties May Result?
Those accused of date rape may be convicted of a felony. Sex crimes convictions often lead to time in prison, probation, and mandatory sex offender registration. Plus, a felony conviction will follow you for the rest of your life, preventing you from owning a firearm or voting.

The criminal defense team at the Law Offices Of Jeffrey C. Grass has extensive experience in litigating difficult sex crimes cases, including allegations of date rape. If you’ve been accused of any type of sex crime, don’t wait for charges to be filed; call our criminal law firm right away. You can reach us by calling .