Refuge responds to NCA’s reports of drug-facilitated rape networks

Responding to the National Crime Agency’s reports of drug-facilitated rape networks, Ellie Butt, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Refuge, said:

“Today’s devastating reports of drug-facilitated rape operating via an international organised network from the National Crime Agency (NCA) affirms what we sadly know to be true at Refuge – violence against women and girls (VAWG) is at epidemic levels, perpetrated in every corner of the world and often facilitated by unregulated online platforms which allow abusers to not only commit horrific acts, but recruit others and circulate them to a mass audience.

“Following the mass trial of Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men for the rape and abuse of Gisèle Pelicot in France, it is becoming increasingly clear that this was not an isolated case. However, the sheer scale of shocking crime is continuing to be unearthed.

“Now, the NCA has discovered vast online communities of men encouraging each other to drug and sexually assault their partners, resulting in a number of arrests already being made in the UK. We cannot forget: this is a form of domestic abuse. Many of these cases take place within long-term, intimate relationships, with perpetrators exploiting the trust of their partners to carry out a campaign of vile sexual abuse. It is also part of a broader pattern of technology-facilitated abuse, including the rising use of hidden cameras placed to record survivors without their consent and the increasing weaponisation of social media to share non-consensual intimate images and videos.

“These crimes do not stop at national borders, so neither can the response. Perpetrators are networking openly online, often first connecting on mainstream platforms such as Telegram before directing others to dedicated abuse forums and communities where these crimes are encouraged and glorified. The exploitation of gaps between jurisdictions and the poor regulation of online platforms is allowing abusive content and criminal networks to expand at unprecedented rates. We welcome the National Crime Agency’s involvement; domestic abuse must be a priority for all levels of law enforcement.

“Women and girls deserve meaningful protection from all forms of domestic abuse, including online abuse, not a fragmented response that allows perpetrators to act with impunity. Refuge is calling on tech companies to take proactive action to detect and prevent this abuse, while UK regulators – including Ofcom – must adopt a coordinated approach to tackling online VAWG. Only a cohesive and comprehensive response can match the scale of this abuse and provide women and girls with the protections they deserve.”