Alert on sex attack drugs

A campaign to alert women to the dangers of "drug rape" is to be launched this week amid new fears of the growing number of drugs that could be used in sex attacks.

The drive was proposed by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb after two of his constituents were victims of drug rapes. And a senior Scotland Yard officer has warned of an increasing number of drugs being involved in the assaults.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Sturman, who helps run the Drug Rape Trust, said the group had identified 67 drugs that could be used in drug rapes compared to 46 last year. "Often they are prescription drugs available across the counter," he said.

Figures from the Drug Rape Trust show 1,290 women reported suspected attacks last year, an increase of 64 per cent on the year before. Mr Lamb said only about a third of such cases were reported, and just three per cent went to court.