ChickSpeak

My name is Kari Thompson and I am a junior at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. I worked with Liz Higgins, also a junior from Doane College, on this project.
I was instantly compelled to this research because date rape drugs are a problem in college social life. Drug induced sexual assault is a problem in our society. However, I did not know without further research how big of a problem they are.

Flunitrazepam, otherwise known as “roofies”, is a very effective date rape drug used to sedate and sexually assault individuals. It dissolves clear, is tasteless and odorless, and produces short term amnesia. Flunitrazepam is rapidly and almost completely absorbed in to the body after oral administration. What makes this drug so effective is the fact that many victims do not remember what happened, and therefore, do not report the assault. This sensor can prevent the assault from happening.

Drugs used to aide in sexual assault are a worldwide concern. After Doane published a press release on our sensor, we received national and local media attention. Our research was featured in newspapers such as The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and USA Today. Our work was also featured on ABC and FOX news along with many local stations. We also received several radio broadcastings and interviews. Our work can also be found on hundreds of media outlets on the web. My advisor’s email was filled with messages from victims thanking us, from parents asking advice on how to protect their children, and from lawyers and law enforcement agencies seeking advice on open date-rape cases. As you can see, this is a major concern to our society.

More so, it is a major concern for us as college women. The more we are aware of this problem and speak up about it, the better off we will be.