What is happening?
CNN’s Investigation uncovered a hidden online world where the commodification and amplification of sexual violence against women is flourishing. Men from around the world gathered in group chats like “Zzz” on Telegram to swap advice on drugging and filming the sexual assault of their partners while unconscious. Men encouraged one another to drug and assault their wives, and swap tips on how to get away with it.
One man in the group claimed to be running a business selling odorless, tasteless sleeping liquids that could be delivered to all parts of the world. “Your wife won’t feel anything and won’t remember anything,” he marketed. Others advertised videos for $20 per viewer. The so-called “sleep content” has amassed over 20,000 videos, with some videos surpassing 50,000 views and the website itself garnering around 62 million visits in February alone. Videos called “eyecheck,” also contained men lifting women’s eyelids to prove they were sedated and unconscious.
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, in 2024 the world saw the trial of Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men in southern France responsible for the rape of his then-wife Gisèle. This abuse was facilitated through a chatroom called “Without Her Knowledge,” here Pelicot connected dozens of men who would come and rape Gisèle. She was who was drugged unconscious and raped over 200 times by 70 men.
The Impact of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault
The trauma inflicted by drug-faciliated sexual assault (DFSA) manifests in a particular cruel way, victims often have little to no memory of what happened to them. The assault itself may leave no immediate physical evidence, but the psychological damage is profound and lasting. Survivors described a disorienting sense of violation, not being able to trust their own body or memory. Many people still hold dangerous assumptions about what abuse within a marriage looks like, not recognizing a husband drugging and assaulting his wife as rape. This forces victims to carry not only the trauma of the assault, but the additional weight of not being believed or having their experience minimised or dismissed, discouraging them from speaking out. That is why Gisèle Pelicot chose to waive her anonymity and face a public trial to encourage and help other women in this situation to break their silence and shame.
Victim-Blaming
The betrayal committed by a partner or spouse is shattering, one woman, Zoe, whose ex-husband is serving an 11 year sentence explained how, “there’s a shame and guilt that comes with it, ‘Oh, maybe I should have known, or I can’t believe I didn't realize. Why didn't I connect those dots?” (CNN). Victims of DFSA face a specific and vicious form of victim-blaming. Because they have limited to no memory they are questioned over why didn’t they notice? Why didn't they speak out sooner? Did they somehow consent? This false perception of self-responsibility is sadly reinforced by a culture that protects abusers.
Clare McGlynn, a law professor at Britain’s Durham University noted to CNN how “voyeuristic material on mainstream porn glorifies abusive behaviors both on and offline.. it’s a problem that many men and many people in society aren’t taking seriously enough.” Worse, it is facilitated by platforms that allow this content and a culture that blames victims.
Failures to Protect Women
In Europe, most criminal justice systems lack specific monitoring systems for drug-facilitated sexual assault. Lack of legislation means lack of support and safety felt by women to report, and thus, lack of training by police and hospitals to recognize victims. McGlynn points out that this is not only a legislative issue but a problem with the platforms themselves. These platforms are not passive bystanders, men find camaraderie and community there, normalizing abuse. This is where these “brotherhoods” grow and where women’s abuse is monetized. Even when a platform is taken down, more pop up. Thus, McGlynn argues that this “global online phenomena persists because of a reluctance from governments to go after… the heart of the problem: the online platforms themselves.”
not all men,
but if you stay silent, you’re part of the problem.
