DFSA Supports
If you or a friend thinks they experienced drug-facilitated sexual assault (or possibly had their drink spiked), here is some important information.
Drug facilitated sexual assault victims may delay seeking help at a hospital for a variety of reasons including:
Effects of the drugs/alcohol used
Lack of knowledge regarding services and options
Embarrassment, stigma, shame
Confusion about what has happened
Remember, telling a health care provider and asking to get tested for DFSA is a deeply personal choice.
Some people may not wish to report or seek medical care following a suspected drink-spiking and / or sexual assault. It is important you show up for your friend and support their autonomy to make decisions after experiencing something that removed that from them.
Important :
A person can still get tested for substances, even if they do not think they were sexually assaulted
Delayed reporting = Delayed testing and treatment
Drugs used to commit sexual assault may be metabolized in the body very quickly and important evidence can be lost through normal activities such as eating, drinking, urinating, and washing.
Just because a test came back negative for commonly used drugs, does not mean it did not happen. It could mean that too much time had passed before the sample was collected or that something was used that was not tested for.
Supports:
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Salal Sexual Violence Centre. (Formerly Against Violence Against Women / WAVAW)
Call 24/7: 1-877-392-7583 national toll-free (Crisis and Information Line). WAVAW offers anti-oppressive, decolonizing, intersectional feminist support to survivors of sexualized violence. Our services are open to cis and trans women and people of all marginalized genders, including Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary people.
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Victoria Sexual Assault Centre (VSAC)
Call M-F from 9-5: 250-383-3232
VSAC is a feminist organization committed to ending sexualized violence through healing, education, and prevention. They are dedicated to supporting women and all Trans survivors of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse, through advocacy, counselling, and empowerment. At any point, you can call VSAC’s access line or you can email, access@vsac.ca, to find out what is available to you.
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Call or text 24/7: 1-800-563-0808
VictimLink BC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual service available across B.C. and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed by calling or texting the number above or by sending an email to VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca.
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The largest non-profit sexual health organization in Canada, with we have more than 60 confidential, nonjudgmental, youth-friendly, pro-choice, and sex-positive clinics in B.C. Options for Sexual Health clinics are accessible for people in B.C. when they need to talk about sexuality or sexual health or access sexual and reproductive health care.
To book a telehealth appointment please click here. To book an in-clinic appointment click here. You can also call the Sex-Sense line at 1-800-739-7367 throughout BC or 604-731-7803 in the Lower Mainland. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific Time. The line is closed on weekends and public holidays.
Links:
Coming soon