Eight men in the UK have been arrested for allegedly sedating and raping their partners, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said amid an investigation into an international network where sexual abuse is shared online.
Leading an international collaboration with partners across Europe, the NCA has identified 270 individuals linked to a “truly international network” of men drugging and sexually assaulting women, the agency said.
The alleged offenders often exploited “trusting and long-term relationships”, the NCA said, drawing a parallel to the Gisele Pelicot case in France whose husband invited over 50 men to their home in the south of France to rape her while she was unconscious.
Criminal networks often rely on online communities and offenders often migrate to encrypted messaging apps, invitation-only forums and smaller overseas websites to evade detection.
Project Medusa
Over 270 individuals have been identified since the investigation began in October last year and have been linked to one forum.
Nigel Leary, Deputy Director at the National Crime Agency (NCA) said this type of sexual offending is deeply traumatic and on the rise.
“We believe we have uncovered a truly international network with group members identified in dozens of countries spanning every continent,” Leary said.
“Drug-facilitated assault is no longer isolated behaviour, but increasingly organised, conducted via coordinated networks and enabled by digital platforms.”
Under Project Medusa – a Europol-supported initiative launched in April this year, investigators from Brazil, Canada, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, the US and Europol came to the NCA’s HQ in London last week.
The investigators shared information on suspected offenders, victims and online groups, leading to more than 150 offenders and victims being identified as well as the discovery of four new online communities.
“These spaces create a sense of community and legitimacy when deeply harmful behaviours are minimised or justified,” said Leary.
“We’ve seen users actively engaging with other like-minded individuals, discussing in graphic detail how they want to drug their victims to commit the most heinous, sexual abuse.”
Horrifying abuse by offenders
The abuse has been labelled “the most horrifying I have seen in my career” by Siobhan Blake, National CPS lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences.
“Victims are being subject to horrendous sexual offending in their own homes in an ultimate breach of trust,” Ms Blake said.
“This offending thrives in secrecy online and behind closed doors. It is the job of the criminal justice system to bring it out into the open to deliver for victims and survivors.
“I hope our coordinated response with policing partners gives victims the confidence that we are tackling the issue head-on to deliver justice as effectively as possible.”
Victims unaware
One of the most worrying points the NCA has emphasised is that many victims may not realise they have been assaulted because some of the drugs can cause memory loss or unconsciousness.
Drug-facilitated sexual assault is not usually associated with a single “date rape drug”.
Some of the substances are tightly controlled in many countries, but others can be purchased illegally online, diverted from legitimate prescriptions, or in some places, purchased with fewer restrictions.
Many of the drugs have legitimate medical uses and are prescribed for conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy and surgical procedures – and millions are prescribed these every year.
The National Centre for Violence against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) acknowledges that “in many cases victims may not realise what has happened to them”.
NCVPP Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap has urged women to come forward if they suspect something is wrong.
“You do not need proof or a clear memory to seek help. Police and support services will make sure you are listened to, taken seriously and given the care you need,” she said.
“Police forces are leading investigations into this offending, working closely with partners and support services to identify patterns, share intelligence and respond consistently across the country.”
New national law enforcement response announced
The NCA has announced it has a new national law enforcement whole-of-system response in place to tackle this evolving threat.
In the UK, the NCA, the NCVPP, police forces and Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) are working together with health services, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCS) and specialist organisations to identify offenders, safeguard victims and disrupt networks.
The NCA says the coordinated approach ensures intelligence is shared more effectively, patterns of offending are identified earlier and investigations and prosecutions are aligned from the outset.
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