Drug-facilitated sexual assault in the digital age

In the world we live in, trust forms the foundation of our closest relationships. Within families and partnerships, trust is often placed in those closest to us: fathers, husbands, or partners. But when that trust is broken within such intimate relationships, the consequences can be devastating, shattering not just bonds but an individual’s entire sense of safety.

In September 2020, a man named Dominique Pelicot was arrested in southern France while filming up women’s skirts at a supermarket. Police seized his device, and during inspection, they found a hidden folder labelled “Abuses” containing videos and photos of his wife, Gisele Pelicot, being raped and sexually assaulted not only by him but by dozens of other men while drugged. This opened a Pandora’s box of dozens of drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases—a scandal where the victim herself was not aware of what had happened.

This is not an isolated case but part of a mass network; it was the beginning of a scandal that shamed humanity. What is concerning is that most people are still not aware of it:

What is DFSA?

Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) is a sexual assault (rape or otherwise) carried out when a victim is intentionally intoxicated due to a dose of a mind-altering drug. It can involve alcohol or any date rape drug. More than 75% of all rape cases involve alcohol or drugs. These substances, combined with alcohol, affect the body, making a person unconscious and causing a loss of the ability to consent to sex.

Researchers have found that alcohol-facilitated rape is the most common type of assault against women. DFSA is a crime of physical violence and can lead to sexual exploitation, as most victims are female while perpetrators are male.

But the question is, why are we discussing it now? The answer is quite simple: a recent media investigation by CNN about DFSA revealed shocking discoveries—from DFSA to sleep content and from sleep content to online “rape academy” networks. It also raised serious concerns about the role of legal systems in addressing this issue.

Sleep content

According to the CNN investigation, these videos are published on an open porn site known as "Motherless". The site is a free file host where a large volume of user-uploaded content remains accessible. The website had more than 60 million visits in February alone, with most traffic from the United States. It is flooded with more than 200,000 videos of sleep content, many with hundreds of thousands of views. It first came to light during an investigation by Isabell Beer and Isabell Ströh, who revealed that members exchange advice on how to use drugs with their partners. They were using a chat group called “Zzz” linked with Motherless.

This uncovered a business selling and distributing “sleeping liquids” worldwide. The dangerous part is that these substances are tasteless and odourless. Users claimed that their partners would not feel anything and would not remember anything.

School of violence

Many forms of pornography have normalised violence against women as part of entertainment, with algorithms favouring such extreme content in mainstream networks. For users within the online “sleep porn” community, the thrill of abuse is not an individual act; it is driven by collective dynamics. These spaces serve as a source for reinforcing narcissistic needs.

Sandrine Josso, a French lawmaker well known for raising awareness about drug-facilitated sexual abuse after being drugged by a former senator, described it as a “school of violence". Despite these efforts, the issue continues to grow at a dangerous level. Research indicates that around one in five victims of sexual assault have experienced DFSA. A study of 1,000 cases in the United States found that 78.4% of victims tested positive for at least one substance, with alcohol being the most commonly used. Another study suggests that by 2023, the trend had increased by up to 544% compared to 2014, with 86% of victims being female. Many cases go unreported due to fear of embarrassment, which encourages perpetrators. The drug dosage also plays a role, as victims often have limited memory of what they experienced.

Online rape academy

As these networks grew, digital spaces began to resemble an “online rape academy", where users share their experiences and advice with new members. In the group "Zzz", there are more than 1,000 active members sharing tips and assault-related content. The investigation highlighted that these groups normalise the drugging and sexual assault of women, often targeting their own partners or acquaintances. Most concerning is that they also share tips on how to avoid detection or medical testing.

Annabelle Montagne, a psychologist, stated that within these sites, there is a strong sense of brotherhood. She added that participants form bonds where they reinforce their narcissistic needs.

Law and jurisdiction shortcomings

At worst, these criminals face long legal proceedings. Victims must struggle to ensure convictions, which contributes to the low reporting rate. One example is survivor Amanda Stanhope, whose case was initially dismissed by police, who claimed the evidence was insufficient and suggested she was pretending to be asleep. Later, her former partner was arrested.

In the United States, the situation is more complex compared to Europe. The First Amendment protects certain types of content under freedom of speech. Meanwhile, states like Texas and Utah have introduced stricter age barriers to protect minors from such content.

These findings stem from a months-long investigation conducted by CNN journalists.