Wintergreen--I wish I could express how sweet and naive and protected I was 12 years ago. I grew up in a pretty beach town in Southern California in the late 60's so I certainly had knowledge of drugs but I was more of a Latin and literature kind of girl. I was a beloved only child. I was extremely fortunate to have never been sexually abused. I married my high school sweetheart at only 18 and taught Head Start. We were very busy taking care of our growing family. In other words, I had a LOT of eye-opening that needed to be done.
I honestly thought people treated others the way they wanted to be treated. Crime happened elsewhere. I didn't know about evil. It was when we first started adopting special needs kids who had been drug exposed that I started seeing the other side of the "tracks". My precious children had already experienced more trauma in their toddlerhood than I had in my whole life!!
I was far too trusting. I truly thought I was being accepting and kind to the slightly strange teen next door. I allowed him to play with our kids. The eight youngest were starving for friends as most had a hard time connecting socially. They begged to go play and I suspected that the teen was giving them far more treats than I allowed. I planned to speak to him about nutrition.
When the children came to us one by one and disclosed the abuse, I was dumbstruck. I honestly thought that all we'd have to do was get the boy's parents involved and he'd get therapy. I can hardly believe these words as I type them.
Never in a million years did I think our lives would be filled with the aftermath of sexual abuse. That my bookshelves and internet bookmarks would be filled with research on pedophilia and trauma. That I'd know just what GHB was. That I'd know about how a chicken or a bunny or a kitten or a dog could be raped. That the word "penis" would be said more than the word "plate" in my house for a year. That triggers and PTSD would become my life.
I cried my eyes out and had to just keep going. I came to WS just to see if I could help shine some light on other crimes like the one we lived through...and will always live through. I'm a stronger woman, probably wiser, certainly more wary. I've learned a lot and I know that it's got to be for some reason that I just can't see yet.
So, GHB--yes it used to be sold as a body builder supplement.
"Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid or GHB, is a compound that was initially used by body builders to stimulate muscle growth. In recent years it has become popular as a recreational drug among club kids and partygoers.
This "designer" drug is often used in combination with other drugs, such as Ecstasy. GHB is synthesized from a chemical used to clean electrical circuit boards, and is available in clear liquid, white powder, tablet and capsule form.
GHB is odorless and nearly tasteless. Users report that it induces a state of relaxation. The effects can be felt within 5 to 20 minutes after ingestion and the high can last up to four hours."
http://www.theantidrug.com/drug-information/commonly-abused-drugs/ghb.aspx
It's now banned but it's still out there. You can see how easily it can be put to use committing evil things. In some ways, it's the perfect drug for the crime. When our children described what they'd been given to the doctor at the Children's Advocacy Center, she's the one who told us it most likely was GHB. It's certainly not something you want to find in a friend's medicine cabinet!! Or the neighbor teen's chicken coop.