Sexual assault is a criminal, social and public health problem that affects both men and women across the world, and Botswana is not immune to this scourge. Drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) is a subcategory of sexual assault in which a victim is assaulted while incapacitated and unable to consent due to intoxication by alcohol and/or drugs. It is an increasingly reported crime which has presented various challenges to law enforcement and the society. Research shows that alcohol is the most encountered drug in DFSA, followed by benzodiazepines and anti-depressants. These drugs are rapidly metabolized and since victims delay reporting the assaults due to the physiological effects of the drugs, they are rarely detected in biological samples collected from the victims. In this regard, DFSA cases are not easy to prosecute. Research has also shown that university students may be at an increased risk of sexual assault, particularly DFSA. This study was therefore aimed at assessing the knowledge, prevalence and perception of DFSA among tertiary students in Botswana along with the analysis of drug detectability and stability in common alcoholic beverages using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). To address this aim, an extensive literature review was carried out, focusing mainly on grey literature on DFSA in Botswana,and a cross-sectional study was conducted through the use of an online survey which was shared via email and social media platforms. Research on the commonly dispensed pharmaceutical drugs (benzodiazepines, anti-depressants, anti-histamines) associated with DFSA was carried out in pharmacies around Palapye and Gaborone. The common benzodiazepines, antidepressants and antihistamines (diazepam, bromazepam, amitriptyline, chlorphenamine and antazoline), included in this study were spiked in four common alcoholic beverages (chibuku, wine, vodka and savanna) to develop a method to test their detection and stability in the alcoholic beverages using the GC-MS. The review of grey literature indicated that DFSA is very prevalent in Botswana, as the reports indicate that the police record a high number of DFSA cases. The data from pharmacies yielded diazepam and bromazepam as the common benzodiazepines, fluoxetine and amitriptyline as the common anti-depressants, chlorphenamine and loratadine as the common anti-histamines, all of which are controlled pharmaceuticals. The majority of the respondents of the survey (75.2%, n=117) knew what DFSA was and 25.7% indicated that they were well informed on the topic. The study revealed that 48.7% of the respondents had experienced unwanted sexual advances and 12.8% were using alcohol/drugs at the time. Majority of those who experienced unwanted sexual advances were females (66.7%) and 85.7% of the 12.8% who were using xiv drugs/alcohol at the time of the assault, were females. The study population (51.3%) largely believed that there was lack of support for DFSA victims. Of the five target drugs under investigation, four were detected and confirmed using the GC-MS, with the exception of bromazepam. A GC-MS method was developed and optimised for the simultaneous detection and analysis of antazoline, diazepam, chlorphenamine and amitriptyline in alcoholic beverages. The four drugs were also detectable over a 28 day period after storage at room temperature and at -20 °C, but were not always stable in the beverages when derivatised. This study showed that sexual assault was prevalent among tertiary students and there were cases of DFSA, which mostly affected female students according to the survey results. This requires interventions by law enforcement, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the society to facilitate the reporting of sexual assault cases, social and psychological support for victims. In addition, the spiked beverages may provide alternative evidence in the investigation of DFSA cases in Botswana, and so there should be changes in policies on investigations to include suspected spiked drinks where possible.

Thesis (MSc of Chemical and Forensic sciences)---Botswana International University of Science and Technology, 2023