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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
MP Sandrine Josso accuses Senator Joël Guerriau of having drugged her. A mode of aggression unfortunately well known to the general public, chemical submission is the act, for an attacker, of using a drug to submit his victim, as its name suggests. MDMA, also called ecstasy, is a drug that can be used but the most common cases are with medications. Explanations from Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
Do you know about chemical submission? “Chemical or medicinal submission is the administration for criminal or misdemeanor purposes of psychoactive substances without the victim’s knowledge. can we read on the website of the Academy of Medicine. Forced administration, under threat, also enters into this context but not the voluntary taking of a substance.
Alcohol, the first toxicant used in chemical submission
Chemical submission is therefore the act of drugging a future victim, so that they allow themselves to be done. “But beware” recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek, “in many investigations, the suspicion of chemical submission is ultimately not confirmed, the tests come back negative. Because in reality, it is alcohol, the first toxicant used in chemical submission, which caused memory loss and not a drug or medication.“.
Medications used to bring the victim into a state of submission
Victims of chemical submission often describe the same scenario: a drink of alcohol, followed by a blackout, with no memory of what happened when they wake up. “Medications or drugs used for chemical submission have just this purpose” confirms Dr. Kierzek. “Their aim is to bring the victim to a passive, amorphous state, with amnesia upon awakening.“.
What are the effects of a drug used in this case?
Drugs used to chemically subdue a victim must possess different targeted effects. Among which :
- Sedation or hypnosis, which keeps the victim asleep and prevents any untimely awakening. This state also makes it possible to annihilate any possible response to the aggressor;
- A disinhibition, which will be both emotional, but also of a sexual nature leading the victim to accept situations and actions that they would not accept in their normal state;
- Anterograde amnesia, which contributes to altering the testimony and making it less credible. This state also introduces doubt into the victim, even a feeling of guilt. This amnesia can also delay the victim’s filing of a complaint;
- Hallucinations, which promote the loss of spatio-temporal references. Which makes the description of the places and the calendar of events very imprecise.
What are the most used substances?
According to the doctor, medications such as antidepressants, sleeping pills or benzodiazapines with hypnotic effects or GHB, nicknamed “the rapist drug” are used because they are easily accessible. “Ecstasy or MDMA is also used but on the other hand has a stimulating effect, it gives confidence, they are amphetamines which give a boost, which can be the opposite of what the attacker is looking for. adds the doctor.
Indeed, ecstasy causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and the feeling of a panic attack. In addition, it is necessary that the drug has no taste or odor, so as not to alert the victim. “Products used as part of a chemical submission must be odorless, colorless and tasteless” confirms Dr. Gérald Kierzek. This is not the case for ecstasy, which has a detectable taste.
What to do if you are the victim of chemical submission?
If you are the victim of chemical submission, and you wake up in an unknown place, without knowing what happened to you, you must immediately flee the place, advises the medical director of Doctissimo. “The first instinct to have is to leave the place where you are to file a complaint and go to the emergency room, so that the necessary examinations can be carried out. You must of course also file a complaint, ideally before arriving at the emergency room.“.