The committee who created the “Protect Yourself, Protect Your Drink” campaign, which raised public awareness about date rape drugs, is unveiling a second phase, focusing on the consequences of drugging and assaulting another person.
“We believe that it is important to not only warn potential victims about this issue, but to let people know what sort of consequences they can expect if they choose to harm someone in this way,” says Honourable Minister Mike Currie. The message is simple and clear – if you drug someone, you will face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.
This second phase of the “Protect Yourself, Protect Your Drink” campaign will include a poster, coaster, and sticker series, featuring a person in handcuffs after drugging someone’s drink. The committee plans to have these materials widely distributed across PEI.
The committee also plans to have a PEI Crime Stoppers advertisement on Global Television as early as January 2007. The ad will show a drugging scenario, the effects of the drugs, the sexual assault, and the consequences as the perpetrator is arrested for the crime. The committee hopes that the ad will deter would-be offenders and remind all Maritimers to keep themselves and their peers safe.
“The first phase of this initiative was a great success. The posters were prominently displayed across PEI in liquor stores, in bars, in schools, in various workplaces. It is our hope that this second phase is as successful. Drugging someone’s drink is no joke and the justice system takes this crime and crimes of sexual violence very seriously,” says Kelly Robinson of the PEI Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Centre.
The “Protect Yourself, Protect Your Drink” committee consists of the PEI Liquor Control Commission, the PEI Rape Crisis Centre, Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Women’s Network PEI, UPEI Security, Holland College, RCMP, Charlottetown City Police, Summerside City Police, PEI Crime Stoppers.