Sexual Violence by Means of Chemical Submission in the Context of Nightlife

Abstract

Although chemical submission and vulnerability have already been described in forensic medical literature since the beginning of the 18th century, it is in the last two decades that this phenomenon has acquired great importance due to the increase in cases in which sexual violence is perpetuated on victims whose intellectual and volitional capacities are compromised, derived from the introduction of substances into their organism that on many occasions is related to their leisure activities. This article is based on a retrospective study carried out in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja (Spain) of cases of sexual violence that have required forensic medical intervention, between 2009-2020. In a sample of 202 cases of female victims over 12 years of age, variables such as the consumption of alcohol or other substances that facilitate sexual aggression and their relationship with nightlife, the hours of greatest incidence of this type of violence, and the public or private spaces in which these substance-mediated aggressions take place are evaluated. It is concluded that there are no significant differences in blood alcohol levels in victims of different ages, that the time in which assaults under chemical submission predominantly take place is at night, and the training of professionals is proposed for the adequate attendance to these people and awareness of the vulnerability associated with the abusive consumption of alcohol and substances.