Non Emergency – 613 966-0882 • TTY: 613 966-3788
"Don't Be That Guy? Awareness Campaign
Drug/alcohol Facilitated Sexual Assault awareness campaign.
Belleville Police Service is actively participating and supporting the "Don't Be that Guy? campaign. The attached posters were unveiled during a media launch at The Shark Tank Loyalist College on Thursday November 3rd at 12:00pm with our community partners from Loyalist College, Victim's Services, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Response Program with Quinte Healthcare and the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District.
This hard hitting poster campaign originated in response to the high numbers of drug facilitated sexual assaults occurring in Edmonton, Alberta. The Sexual Assault Voices of Edmonton (S.A.V.E) created posters with startling images and wording to send the message about the severity of this type of victimization and that the focus should be on the perpetrators of these violent acts and not on the victims.Since the original campaign launch in November 2010, communities across Canada have become involved in the campaign.
The role of the Belleville Police Service extends beyond the poster campaign with area bars and pubs to include the following:
- Members of the Belleville Police Service Criminal Investigation Branch and one of our Drug Recognition Experts will be hosted a training session to increase the awareness of front line bar staff and help them to more easily identify person(s) who are temporarily vulnerable due to the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. The training session was held at Loyalist College in the Alumni Hall on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 from 6:00pm -8: pm. (2nd year Justice Studies students and staff participated)
- Raising the awareness of the front line staff, dispatchers, call takers and members who accept paid duties at local pubs and bars on the seriousness of the temporarily vulnerable due to the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs and what steps they can take to ensure that persons safety.
Some signs and symptoms associated with the ingestion of drugs associated to drug facilitated sexual assaults:
- Loss of coordination ? appearing intoxicated even though they consumed very little alcohol,
- severe respiratory depression,
- suppression of gag reflex,
- acute delirium,
- combativeness,
- inability to arouse the subject from an unconscious state (sternum rub)
- mild visual disturbances, (blurred or double vision, increased light sensitivity),
- dilated pupils,
- dry mouth, sweating,
- muscle tension,
- Involuntary jaw clenching.
- Synesthesia a transposition of the senses - hearing colours seeing sounds
- Illusion: A false perception
- Delusion: A false belief
One or more of these signs in a female (especially if leaving the bar with a male) should warrant a check on her wellbeing.
Belleville Police Service encourage bar staff and other members of the community to call 911 in these circumstances. We advocate OBSERVE not CONFRONT and to call 911 immediately.
When a caller contacts 911 they may or may not want to leave their name (The police will not demand your name but do encourage you to leave it in case we need more assistance or are cut off from a bad phone connection) callers are encouraged to provide the following details:
- Full Description of the Female and Male
- Vehicle Description - including a licence plate number, make, model, colour and any distinguishing features.
- Direction of Travel
- Name of the involved parties if known
Ultimately the goal of the police is to help educate the public on the prevention of alcohol/drug facilitated sexual assaults from ever taking place. With your help in reporting these suspicious situations or reporting knowledge of an offender we can work together for a safer community,
For more information or to obtain posters for your pub, bar or restaurant please call Elise Hineman of the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District at 613-967-6300 x204. or The Criminal Investigation Division of the Belleville Police Service at (613)966-0882 Ext 2307.
