A coordinated national law enforcement response has been announced today to tackle the evolving threat of organised sexual offending and domestic abuse perpetrated in person and shared online by predominantly males against females, known as organised drug-facilitated sexual assault (ODFSA).
This crime type, as seen in the case of Gisele Pelicot in France, involves the deliberate removal of a person’s capacity to consent in order to commit sexual offences, often by someone they know and trust, and in some cases by multiple connected offenders. The victims are sedated with drugs or alcohol before being raped and sexually assaulted, with videos and photos of the assaults shared online.
In the main the sedation and abuse are taking place within long-term intimate partner relationships, with some offending often taking place over decades. Victims and survivors of ODFSA can be of any age, social background or ability and often have no idea that anything has happened to them.
Investigations led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and police forces across the UK have identified organised networks of offenders connected both online and offline.
Since October 2025, NCA investigators have identified more than 270 individuals linked to one particular online forum and its successors, with more than 210 intelligence packages relating to perpetrators, suspects and potential victims sent to law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas, to enable local investigations and safeguarding activities.
Overall these intelligence packages have resulted in at least 14 separate investigations.
And technology is playing a significant role, enabling offenders to connect, reinforce harmful behaviour and facilitate abuse across networks, including across international borders.
In response, a coordinated, whole-system approach is now in place.
In the UK, the NCA, the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are working together with health services, Sexual Assault Referral Centres and specialist organisations to identify offending, safeguard victims and disrupt networks.
This coordinated approach ensures intelligence is shared more effectively, patterns of offending are identified earlier and investigations and prosecutions are aligned from the outset.
This work builds on changes already underway in police forces and the CPS in how rape and serious sexual offences are investigated through Operation Soteria, and how domestic abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour are identified and tackled through the criminal justice system.
Rather than relying on a single account or expecting victims to have all the answers, investigations focus on understanding offender behaviour, patterns and the wider context, including digital activity and connections between individuals, to build the strongest possible cases.
Comprehensive investigative work and strong prosecutions have already resulted in convictions in cases of this kind, with further proceedings ongoing across England involving multiple defendants.
The NCA has also been leading international collaboration with partners across Europe under Project Medusa – a Europol-supported initiative launched in April 2026.
Last week, investigators from Brazil, Canada, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States and Europol came to the NCA’s HQ in London to share information on suspected offenders, victims and online groups.
This activity resulted in more than 150 offenders and victims being identified, over 270 new international investigations initiated and four new online communities identified.
But the reality is that we do not yet know the true scale of this type of offending as it’s almost certainly underreported.
Nigel Leary, Deputy Director at the National Crime Agency (NCA) said:
“This type of sexual offending is deeply traumatic, and our focus has been and continues to be on the victims and those impacted, ensuring they are identified and offered the help and support they need.
“Drug facilitated sexual assault is no longer isolated behaviour, but increasingly organised, conducted via coordinated networks and enabled by digital platforms, requiring a more sophisticated operational response.
“We and our law enforcement partners are clear in our message to anyone involved in this horrendous offending: if you drug, rape, facilitate rape, abuse, record abuse or coordinate these crimes online, we will identify you and your networks and bring you to justice”.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap, Director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) said:
“This is a deeply distressing form of sexual offending and domestic abuse, and we recognise the enormity of the impact on victims, particularly where the person responsible is someone known and trusted.
“In many cases, victims may not realise what has happened to them at the time. They may only become aware through police contact or emerging evidence, which can be extremely confusing and difficult to process.
“Police forces are leading investigations into this offending, working closely with partners and support services to identify patterns, share intelligence and respond consistently across the country.
“If something doesn’t feel right, you do not need proof or a clear memory to seek help. Police and support services will make sure you are listened to, taken seriously and given the care you need.”
Siobhan Blake, National CPS lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences, said:
“The abuse we’re discussing is some of the most horrifying I have seen in my career. Victims are being subject to horrendous sexual offending in their own homes in an ultimate breach of trust.
“This offending thrives in secrecy online and behind closed doors. It is the job of the criminal justice system to bring it out into the open to deliver for victims and survivors.
“I hope our coordinated response with policing partners gives victims the confidence that we are tackling this issue head on to deliver justice as effectively as possible.”
2 July 2026
