Devon Woman Reveals Years of Drugged Rape by Husband, Campaigns for Legislation Change

Zoe Watts, 43, from Devon, has spoken out about years of abuse by her former husband, who drugged her tea with sleeping pills each night to facilitate rape, photography, and filming. Her ex-husband was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022 for crimes spanning from 2011 to 2016, including rape and administering a substance with intent to overpower.

Mrs Watts, who has waived her anonymity, recounted how her husband confessed his actions one Sunday after church. Initially, she was overwhelmed by the revelation of an affair, only later realising, with police intervention, that she had been raped due to her inability to consent while sedated.

The #EndEyeCheck Campaign

Mrs Watts and Amanda Stanhope, another survivor of similar abuse, have launched the #EndEyeCheck campaign. The name refers to a practice where perpetrators verify a victim's unconsciousness by pulling back an eyelid before assault, often recording and sharing these acts online. They highlight the prevalence of such crimes, noting contact from hundreds of women across approximately 22 countries who have experienced drug-facilitated rape.

The campaign aims to establish support networks, develop educational programmes, and advocate for legislative changes. Specifically, they seek to criminalise the creation, possession, and distribution of material depicting these assaults and hold online platforms accountable for hosting such content. Mrs Watts emphasised that spiking can occur closer to home than many realise, urging anyone suspecting they have been spiked to seek medical attention or report it to the police.