Variant #1: Email example contributed by J. Boehman, 16 November 1999:
There is a new drug that has been out for less than a year,
Progesterex,
that is a essentially a small steriliziation pill. The drug
is
now
being
used by rapists at parties to rape AND sterilize their
victims.
My best friend's mom works at a pharmacy and she said the
drug
is
available
exclusivly to veterinarians to sterilize large animals. But I
have
heard
from several of my friends that are still in grad school up
north that
at
frat parties at their schools (Columbia and Penn State) the
drug
is
being
used with Rohypnol (roofies), the date rape drug. With
Rohypnol,
all
they
have to do is drop it into their drink. The girl can't
remember
a
thing
the
next morning of what happened the night before. Well now
Rohypnol is
not
being used alone. Progesterex, which dissolves in drinks
(alcohol or
soda)
just as easily, is being used with it so that the woman
doesn't
conceive
from the rape and the rapist doesn't have to worry about
having
a
paternity
test indentifying him months later. But the drug's affects
AREN'T
TEMPORARY.
Progesterex was designed to sterilizes horses. Any woman that
takes it
WILL
NOT HAVE CHILDREN EVER IN HER LIFE. All guys have to do to
get
this
drug is
just know someone, like a friend, who is in the Vet school of
any
university. It's that easy, and Progesterex is about to break
out big
on
campuses everywhere.
Believe it or not, there is even a site on the internet for
the drug
telling
people how to use it.
It's at http://members.theglobe.com/sinister101/index.htm
For more information about "Roofies" go to
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0884.html
Please! Forward this to everyone you know, especially girls
who
might
be
headed to college or live in college towns.
Variant #2: Email example contributed by D. Kautz, 17 July 2004:
Subject: Baaaaaaaaaad...
*from another post*
Message:
A woman at a Singapore nightclub on Saturday
night was taken by 5 men, who according to
hospital and police reports, gang raped
her before dumping her .
Unable to remember the events of the
evening,tests later confirmed the repeat rapes
along with traces of rohypnol in her
blood, Progesterex,that is an essentially a
small sterilization pill.
The drug is now being used by rapists at parties
to rape AND sterilize their victims.
Progesterex is available to vets to sterilize
large animals.
Rumour has it that the Progesterex is being used
together with Rohypnol, the date rape drug. As
with Rohypnol, all they have to do is drop it
into the girl's drink. The girl can't remember a
thing the next morning, of all that had taken
place the night before.
Progesterex, which dissolves in drinks just as
easily, is such that the victim doesn't conceive
from the rape and the rapist needn't worry about
having a paternity test identifying him months
later.
The drug's effects ARE NOT TEMPORARY - They are P*E*R*M*A*N*E*N*T
Progesterex was designed to sterilize horses.
Any female who takes it WILL NEVER BE
ABLE TO CONCEIVE. The weasels can get this drug
from anyone who is in the vet school or any
university. It's that easy,and Progesterex is
about to break out big on campuses everywhere.
Believe it or not, there are even sites on the
Internet telling people how
to use it. Please forward this to everyone you
know,
especially girls. Be careful when you're out and
don't leave
your drink unattended. Please make the effort
to forward this on to all you
know...
Guys, please inform all your female friends and
relatives.
PLEASE PASS THIS
Variant #3: Email example contributed by A. St. Martin, 25 September 2004:
A New Breed Of Rapists:
Subject: A New Breed Of Rapists A woman at a nightclub on Saturday night was taken by 5 men, who according to hospital and police reports, gang ! raped her before dumping her. Unable to remember the events of the evening, tests later confirmed the repeat rapes along with traces of Rohypnol in her blood and Progesterex, essentially a small sterilization pill. The drug is now being used by rapists at parties to rape AND sterilize their victims. Progesterex is available to vets to sterilize large animals. Progesterex is being used together with Rohypnol, the date rape drug. As with Rohypnol, all they have to do is drop it into the girl's drink. The girl can't remember a thing the next morning, of all that had taken place the night before. Progesterex, which dissolves in drinks just as easily, is such that the victim doesn't &g! t; conceive from the rape and the rapist needn't worry about having a paternity test identifying him months later. The drug's effects ARE NOT TEMPORARY - They are P*E*R*M*A*N*E*N*T Progesterex was designed to sterilize horses.. Any female who takes it WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CONCEIVE.. The weasels can get this drug from anyone who is in the vet school or any university. ! > > It's that easy, and Progesterex is about to break out big on campuses everywhere. Believe it or not, there are even sites on the Internet telling people how to use it. Please forward this to everyone you know, especially girls.. Be careful when you're out and don't leave your drink unattended. Please make the effort to forward this on to all you know...Guys, please inform all ! > > your female friends and relatives. messages!
Comments: This is a hoax whose only reason for existence is to frighten young women. "Progesterex" doesn't exist. There's no mention of it anywhere in medical or scientific literature.
All versions of the forwarded warning, in circulation since November 1999, display features common to urban legends and Internet hoaxes:
an urgent,
fear-inducing tone;
a lack of verifiable sources (instead, a reference to an unnamed authority figure — "my best friend's mom");
the usual plea to forward the message to everyone one knows.
Rohypnol, the surgical anesthetic also mentioned in the email, does exist and has frequently been implicated in cases of date rape. It is said to dissolve quickly in liquids, and, when combined with alcohol, causes drowsiness, lowered inhibition, and memory loss. (The drug was recently reformulated to change color when dissolved in liquid so its presence is more detectable.)
It's important for young women to be aware of the crime of date rape and the fact that drugs are used to sedate date rape victims. But it's equally important to separate fact from fiction. The "Progesterex" scare is baseless. If you receive this hoax by email, please don't forward it on.
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