Drugs and sexual consent
[4] The situation complicates the legitimate judgment of sexual violence, blurring the line between consensual sex and rape when the accuser is severely intoxicated and cannot clearly express disagreement.
[5] Most studies on drug and sexual consent are based on self-reports that emphasize the psychological and sociological aspects, while the direct biological mechanisms remain largely unexplored.
Drugs could improve the autonomous aspect of sexual consent, thus raising the tendency of the user to engage in both desired and undesired sex.
[6] Through expanding user's sexual boundaries and limitations, drug also improves people's participation in different varieties of sex, including those that are previously undesired.
[3] Individuals on drugs reported feelings of intimacy, trust, love, and a strong desire to have sex with multiple sexual partners.
[3] Several studies have found that significant drug use can impair or change judgment, resulting in irrationality and overexcitability during drug-related sexual conduct.
[7] Although it is commonly believed that recreational drugs act as aphrodisiacs and serve as preludes to sexual activities, their specific mechanisms remain to be explored.
[15] High blood alcohol level increases its activity in the spinal cord potentially causing drowsiness,[15] making it more difficult to communicate sexual consent.
[15] Due to the ability to delay orgasm, muscle relaxation, and analgesic effects, opioid is also used in self-medication for sexual dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation in males or dyspareunia in female.
[15] However, long-term opioid use can influence the neuroendocrine system, inhibiting gonadotropin-releasing hormones to decrease libido and lower testosterone levels in men.
It can also alter pain perception and pleasure,[28] affecting drug-users' ability to assess their comfort level accurately during sexual activity.
[29][30] Methamphetamine can increase the likelihood of engaging in atypical sexually behaviors, such as pedophilia, group sex, and same-sex intercourse among heterosexual individuals.
Animal studies confirm that methamphetamine and sexual behavior activate the same neurons in the CNS responsible for motivation and reward.
[34] Methamphetamine and sexual behavior are considered as "rewards" that trigger the release of dopamine, causing feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
Date rape drugs including ethanol, benzodiazepines, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, and ketamine are frequently used in facilitating sexual assault.
[35] Ethanol is sometimes used as a date rape drug, as it can cause amnesia, impaired motor coordination, and mental confusion, all of which can aid the actions of sexual predators.
[35] The drug could induce dissociation in the brain, which is the separation or disconnection in activities between the thalamus and limbic systems,[37] causing amnesia that facilitate sexual abuse.
It is commonly used as a date rape drug due to its euphoric and CNS depressant effects[39] which can slow down brain activity.
[40] Drug-taking was found to impact the capacity to make sexual decisions, raise engagement in anal intercourse, willingness to have multiple sex partners, and decreased condom usage.
[41] A key aspect of harm reduction is educating those who might use sex-related drugs about the consequences of doing so, and encouraging them to evaluate their possible sexual partners.
[5] Public education about drugs and sexual consent could also lessen victim-blaming beliefs and increase social support.
