What is date rape?
Date rape is an attack by someone you know, and it is more common than you might think: less than 10% of rapes are carried out by strangers. According to the Official British Crime Survey, women are 'most at risk from their partners, former partners, men they are dating and acquaintances'.

Watch your drink
A recent trend has been the use of the date-rape drugs like Rohypnol (also known as 'roofies'), GHB or ketamine, which can quickly render a person unconscious and give them short-term memory loss, especially when mixed with alcohol. In the first six months of 2004, 360 date rapes involving drugs were reported to the Roofie Foundation. A Roofie Foundation report last year found that most drinks were spiked in pubs, followed by clubs and then business premises.

It's important to be alert at all times and if you start to feel unaccountably nauseous or out of it, paralysed or start blacking out, ask a trusted friend to get you to a safe place immediately. Anyone else offering you a lift home may be a potential rapist - three quarters of date rapes actually occur at the victim's home, often in the victim's own bed.

What should you do if you've been raped?
First things first, you need to remember that it was not your fault. Most rapes are not reported because victims feel dirty, guilty or ashamed. But rape is a crime like any other and the attacker is the only one who should be ashamed. If you have been raped or wake up with flashbacks of a possible rape, get to a doctor or hospital as soon as possible. Don't wash or get changed. Contact the police and insist that urine and blood tests are taken. If you were drugged, evidence could stay in your system for 5-8 hours or up to 48 hours, depending on the drug. And then, as soon as possible, get checked out for sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy and consider having an AIDS test. Everyone reacts differently in the long term, but common reactions can include: loss of confidence, worthlessness, anger and depression. If you start to feel like this, it is important that you seek counselling or talk to friends or family.

Rape law changes
However the attacker traps you, sex against your will is rape, whether you are drunk or drugged or not. The Sexual Offences Act of May 2004 redefined the law: before, the victim had to prove that she didn't consent. Now, if the victim is drugged by their attacker, the court will assume that consent wasn't given. It's also now an offence to administer a substance with intent.

Where to get help
Contact either Rape Crisis (your local helpline number is in the phone book), The Samaritans (08457 909090) or the Police Service Sexual Assault Referral Centres (one-stop shops available in some areas – visit www.met.police.uk/sapphire. The Roofie Foundation (0800 783 2980) also gives information and advice on date-rape drugs.

Staying safe
Look out for yourself by signing up for a self-defence course. Always trust your instincts – if you get a feeling that someone is creepy, then act on it and don't accept drinks from them or stay around them. In a pub or club, keep your drink with you at all times, even when you go to the loo. Don't share or swap drinks and carry a bottle opener to open bottles yourself. You could also ask your nominated driver to keep an eye on everyone's drinks. But if you are a victim or have been, remember it wasn't your fault and the best way to deal with a crime like this is to report it to the police so you can prevent it happening to anyone else. Over 90% of rapes are never reported, but all of them need to be.