|
All the latest news items can now be found on www.theresident.es Visit us now!
Unfortunately, even though the festive season is almost upon us, it is necessary to remind ourselves that not everyone is of good cheer and bears goodwill to all men, etc.
Over the Christmas period it is easy to let your guard down and unfortunately there are always those who are ready to take advantage. Over recent months there have been a number of incidents of theft, violence and sexual assault throughout the area. Although the level of violent crime is lower here than what we may be used to it is easy to get lulled into a false sense of security, so it is essential to be aware of this and to avoid situations which may leave you exposed to danger. There have been a number of reports of people, both men and women, being drugged either by having their drinks or cigarettes tampered with. There are a number of drugs which can be used to spike drinks such as Rohypnol, GHB, Tamazepan and Valium. Rohypnol Rohypnol, also known as roofies, R-2, Mexican Valium, Rib and Rope, when taken with alcohol, causes sedation, diminishes inhibitions, and leads to memory loss, hence its reputation as the date-rapist’s drug of choice. Rohypnol is a legitimate drug used for the short-term treatment of sleep disorders, and is the brand name of the drug flunitrazepam, part of the valium family, and is available in Europe on prescription. It became popular for spiking drinks because it was colourless, odourless, tasteless, and dissolved quickly, but recently the company which manufactures Rohypnol, Roche, has included additives which should turn a drink blue and leave a residue on the surface making it easier to spot. Of course this doesn’t apply to the number of counterfeit versions of this drug available. GHB Another drug, gamma-hydroxybutryate (GHB) is also used to incapacitate victims, leaving them open to sexual abuse or robbery. GHB, also known as Liquid X or G-Juice used to be sold in healthfood stores to bodybuilders, but was pulled off the market in 1990 because of bad side-effects. The effects of GHB are similar to those of Rohypnol - dizziness, confusion and memory loss. It is also colourless and odourless and found in liquid form. Recent surveys by police in the UK has shown that the use of these drugs are quite widespread but that they are often taken intentionally to increase the potency of drinks, particularly by youngsters and have issued some tips for safe drinking practices: - Do not leave a drink unattended
- If you are drinking from a bottle, keep your thumb over the top
- If you need to go to the toilet, take your drink with you
- Do not accept drinks from strangers
If you suddenly feel unusually drunk for the amount you have consumed or become drowsy, bring your concerns to the attention of the bar staff or friends so they can keep an eye on you. Violence Whilst again violence is not as prevalent as it would appear to be elsewhere, we are not immune from it in this region. A number of muggings along the coast have left one person dead, and a spate of violent attacks in La Linea, including one which put a worker from Gibraltar in hospital with a fractured skull, have led to concern amongst people on both sides of the frontier, and even led Juan Carlos Juarez, mayor of La Linea, to call for a meeting with members of the board of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce to discuss the attacks. He promised to take urgent steps to prevent repetition of violence against residents of Gibraltar, but pointed out that people in La Linea have also been subject to these violent assaults. The police in La Linea have reported the arrest of four people in connection with these attacks. Don’t forget that these incidents are few and far between, but forewarned is forearmed, and with a little vigilance we can all enjoy a safe Christmas and New Year. |
