Health & Gender Implications of GHB-Related Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault in Greece: A Qualitative Study

Despite increased awareness, drug-facilitated sexual assaults (DFSA) remain severely underreported. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), the substance most often implicated, poses distinct forensic challenges due to its rapid metabolism, yet these limitations alone cannot account for underreporting. This study, employing Constructivist Grounded Theory, explores GHB-related DFSA in Greece -a context marked by entrenched gender inequality, high sexual violence prevalence, and minimal GHB detection. Drawing on twenty-four interviews with key informants, findings highlight how forensic constraints, institutional inertia, and socio-cultural stigmas, particularly affecting women and LGBTQ+ communities, perpetuate silence. The study advances an interdisciplinary framework, urging trauma-informed, inclusive reforms across forensic, legal, and social systems.