Cornell case raises questions about rise of ketamine in sexual assaults: ‘You might not realize you’re being touched’
After a Jane Doe claimed she was encouraged to take ketamine in an alleged gang rape, advocates are urging for tighter laws around the dissociative
TL;DR
- A lawsuit against Cornell University and fraternity members alleges gang rape of a student who had taken ketamine.
- The case highlights ketamine's dissociative anesthetic properties and its increasing use as both a recreational drug and mental health treatment.
- New York's voluntary intoxication laws are under scrutiny, as they may make it difficult to prosecute assault cases where victims were under the influence.
- Experts note that ketamine can cause a profound disconnection from reality, making consent complex and potentially impossible.
- The drug's effects can range from mild numbing to a 'K-hole' state, where individuals may appear conscious but have little awareness of their surroundings.
- The legal definition of 'mentally incapacitated' in New York may not fully account for the effects of ketamine on consent.
- Ketamine is identified as a potential drug in drug-facilitated sexual assaults, though less common than other substances like GHB.
- Cases involving ketamine-facilitated sexual assaults are being heard in courts globally, including in England and Colorado.