Chemsex and sexual offending

So what is Chemsex?

In its simplest form, it’s drug-facilitated sex between two men or more. Chemsex “parties” typically take place in private homes and are advertised through dating apps such as Grindr, as well as other similar dating apps.

It’s important to remember that Chemsex is not something all gay men take part in and involves only a small part of the gay or bisexual male community.

There are three main drugs commonly used during Chemsex parties - GHB, crystal meth and mephedrone.

All three drugs bring about similar physiological reactions. They lower inhibitions and promote feelings of relaxed euphoria. They can also put the user at a greater risk of drug-facilitated sexual offending and can prove fatal.

Issues of drug-related sexual offending have recently been brought into the mainstream through a storyline in Coronation Street, in which the character David Platt is drugged and raped following a night out.

We know offences like this are happening in this region and in the last couple of year Avon and Somerset Police has been working to raise awareness of Chemsex and drug-related sexual offending.

If you’re engaging in Chemsex and something happens that you’ve not consented to or you’re assaulted, it’s understandable that you could be nervous about reporting it to the police or speaking to someone about this. But, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, what you’re doing or what you’ve taken, no one has the right to commit a crime against you, and having sex without consent is a crime.