Not every chemsex experience will be traumatic, but we need to remember that, in chemsex spaces, extreme behaviours that we wouldn't accept if we were sober, are often normalised. Furthermore, although we are not saying that every chemsex session will have all dangers below, it's essential to be aware of the risks involved and just because it hasn't happened before, that doesn't mean it will never happen.
Imagine entering a seemingly normal encounter only to find yourself trapped in a nightmare. Or perhaps, after leaving a party, you receive messages threatening to share photos and videos with your place of work which you disclosed when you were high. This is the harsh reality for many individuals at some point during their involvement in chemsex. The combination of drugs, sex, and the internet can create a dangerous environment where crimes like theft, blackmail, assault, and even homicide can occur. This page aims to remind you of/inform you about the risks associated with chemsex and provide practical tips for staying safer.
THE REALITY OF CHEMSEX AND CRIME
Although data and risk levels may vary greatly from country to country or even within the same city, it is important to remember that there are very serious chemsex-related crimes to be aware of.
Common offenses include:
- Violence: Assault, grievous bodily harm
- Theft: Burglary, robbery
- Drug-related crimes: Possession and trafficking of illegal substances
- Sexual offenses: Rape, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse
- Murder: Intentional or accidental
- Other crimes: Kidnapping, harassment, and stalking, extortion/blackmail etc.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO VULNERABILITY
Several factors can increase an individual's vulnerability to crime in the chemsex context:
- Substance use: The effects of drugs like GHB/GBL, Crystal Meth (Tina), Ketamine, etc. can affect levels of awareness and impair judgment and decision-making.
- Isolation: Engaging in chemsex activities in private settings can limit access to help and support.
- Technology: Meeting people online can increase the risk of encountering individuals with malicious intent. Cellphone recordings of illegal or explicit content can be used to blackmail people.
- Trust issues: Either trusting people you shouldn't with personal information or conflict arising from mistrust.
STAYING SAFER: PRACTICAL TIPS
- Choose safe environments: Opt for safe, well-known venues/homes.
- Be mindful of online interactions: Verify the identities of people you meet online.
- Set boundaries with self: Clarify limits of what/how much you'll use and for how long and set systems to support those boundaries.
- Be aware that being filmed or photographed while having sex and / or taking drugs could put you at risk of extorsion. Be also careful with the information that you share about where you work, about your family, etc. Unfortunately some people are collecting this kind of information to blackmail others once the chemsex episode is over..
- Don’t forget that certain drugs such as GHB/GBL can make people lose consciosness when overdosing, and in those cases you can be totally vulnerable to sexual assaults, physical assaults, thefts, being filmed, etc. There are people who you could meet who can have an agenda, so being careful when using this drug or others is extremely important. If you wan to know more about preventing risks in this scenarios, you can check our section “Chemsex harm reduction”.
- Set boundaries with others: Communicate your limits and expectations clearly with others and have a clear plan for how you'll handle if those boundaries are crossed.
- Trust your instincts: If something feels wrong, don't hesitate to leave.
- Use your support network: Let trusted friends know where you are and with whom.
- Report crimes: If you or someone you know has been a victim of a crime, contact the authorities or a local support organisation if it is safe to do so in your country. Organisations like CrimeStoppers may be available to give information anonymously.
By being mindful of your surroundings and making safer choices, you can help protect yourself and others from harm.
Remember, you are not alone.
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* We want to thank MATTHEW FULLER very deeply for helping so much with the preparation of this document. Matthew is a Change & Accountability Coach, and he is also Care Coordinator and chemsex specialist advisor at Controlling Chemsex.
