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Rise of the ‘Rhino Ket’ Rapists: How predators are using a deadly new £10 ketamine strain to attack women, as middle-class professionals who’ve destroyed their lives tell all to MATTHEW BARBOUR
An investigation reports on the rise of "Rhino Ket", a potent and dangerous strain of ketamine costing around £10, which is being used by predators to spike and sexually assault women. The drug's increased strength has coincided with a wave of assaults on middle-class professionals, several of whom have spoken publicly about how the attacks devastated their lives.
The report highlights how the cheap, easily obtainable substance has fuelled a growing pattern of drug-facilitated sexual assault, with victims describing lasting psychological and personal harm. Journalist Matthew Barbour spoke to those affected as part of a wider examination of ketamine's spread within nightlife and social settings.
In short
- New "Rhino Ket" ketamine strain linked to sexual assaults on women
- Costs around £10, described as unusually potent and dangerous
- Victims, including professionals, share accounts of assault and its aftermath
Explained simply
Ketamine is a drug sometimes used in medical settings but also taken recreationally for its psychoactive effects. "Rhino Ket" is a particularly potent strain of ketamine that has become widely available in recent years at relatively low cost, around £10 per dose. The increased strength and cheap price have raised serious concerns about how easily it can be obtained.
Some people are using Rhino Ket to spike the drinks of unsuspecting people without their consent, incapacitating them and facilitating sexual assault. This method of attack is not new, but the accessibility and potency of this particular drug have made it a growing concern for those working on sexual assault prevention. The practice is sometimes referred to as drug-facilitated sexual assault.
A number of victims, including middle-class professionals, have spoken publicly about attacks they experienced. They describe severe and lasting psychological and personal harm from these assaults, including trauma that has disrupted their lives and careers. The pattern suggests this problem is becoming increasingly widespread in nightlife and social settings.