The crime of drug-facilitated rape, long overlooked and underreported, is increasingly gaining public attention following a series of high-profile cases and survivor-led advocacy efforts. Two survivors, Amanda Stanhope from Manchester and Zoe Watts from Exmouth, Devon, have emerged as prominent voices calling for greater awareness and systemic change.

The recent global spotlight on this issue was sparked in part by the case of Gisèle Pelicot, whose husband, Dominique Pelicot, was convicted for drug-facilitated rape and sexual assault (DFSA), involving not only his wife but also a network of more than 50 men he recruited online to abuse her. Watching the Pelicot case unfold in September 2024 provided validation for survivors like Stanhope and Watts, who had previously felt isolated by their experiences.

Stanhope’s former partner, David Rogerson, was under investigation for allegations of drugging, raping, and filming Stanhope while she was asleep. Meanwhile, Watts’s ex-husband was already serving an 11-year sentence for drugging and raping her over several years. Watts recalls the Pelicot verdict as a pivotal moment that revealed the widespread nature of DFSA, spurring her to establish #EndEyeCheck, the first survivor-led campaign targeting this form of abuse.

Named after a disturbing tactic used by perpetrators—pulling open a victim’s eyelid to verify sedation—#EndEyeCheck aims to improve education in schools about DFSA, prompt police and prosecutorial inquiries, increase medical professionals’ ability to recognize warning signs, and advocate for the removal of “sleep content” from pornography websites. The group has gathered data from over 400 survivors through an online survey, highlighting the difficulty in quantifying DFSA due to its frequent underreporting and low prosecution rates.

Recent cases in the UK underline the ongoing prevalence of such crimes. At Northampton crown court, a man in his 40s admitted to filming assaults on his partner, spanning 11 years, which included restraint and sexual violence while she was incapacitated. Earlier in 2024, Philip Young, a former Swindon councillor, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of rape, administering sedatives, and voyeurism against his ex-wife over 13 years. Another case set to proceed in September involves 14 men accused of drugging and raping a woman, with the alleged mastermind being a man in his 60s from Stockport.

Internationally, similar patterns of abuse have been uncovered. In Germany, four men were convicted for drugging and raping women after being part of a Telegram group that used coded language for their crimes. Investigative journalists in Germany exposed a larger network using the porn site Motherless to share footage and advice on DFSA. Despite ongoing abuse spanning nearly two decades, police action only followed persistent journalistic pressure. One victim initially did not suspect her husband’s involvement despite consulting doctors about her prolonged unconsciousness.

The international scope of this issue has prompted collaborative law enforcement responses such as Project Medusa, initiated in April 2024. This multinational effort, led by Germany and the UK with support from several countries and Europol, aims to dismantle DFSA networks; it has so far identified 156 perpetrators and victims.

Both Watts, 43, and Stanhope, 53, have been actively involved in raising awareness through this global lens, connected by their participation in a major international investigation. Their work highlights the urgent need to address the hidden realities of drug-facilitated rape and ensure justice and support for survivors worldwide.