Woman sedated and raped in Vienna: 4 years in prison for ex-partner

A woman in Vienna has been sentenced to four years in prison after being drugged and sexually assaulted by her former partner. The incident occurred on July 5 in a Vienna apartment, during which the victim lost several hours of memory due to the effects of a potent sleeping medication. According to court proceedings held at the Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters, the accused, a 43-year-old man, allegedly mixed the drug into tea and administered it to his ex-partner before engaging in sexual activity twice with her. The prosecution classified the act as rape. The defendant appeared in court wearing a black suit, polished leather shoes, and styled his hair similarly to Elvis Presley. He denied the charges, stating, “Not guilty.” His lawyer added, “He loves his (now former) partner obsessively. He would never do such a thing to her.” The drug in question, zolpidem, is a prescription sleep aid known for its rapid onset of action and potential for dependency. It was detected in the victim’s system hours later at a hospital. The accused claimed the woman must have taken the medication herself, citing her history of sleep issues. He explained that he had received the prescription following an injury. Tensions had been rising within the couple for months, marked by financial difficulties stemming from child support payments for a child from a previous relationship. The accused, a Turkish bus driver, attributed these problems to his gambling addiction. The woman alleged that their relationship was deteriorating, with them having been sleeping in separate rooms for months. On the day of the incident, the couple's children were staying with their grandparents. Earlier that evening, the woman attended the Danube Island Festival with her then-partner. Later, when he attempted physical contact, she refused. The following day, he offered her tea, a gesture she hadn’t experienced in three months. She accepted, drank from the cup, watched videos on her phone, and fell asleep again. She woke up around 6 p.m., disoriented and naked in bed. Confused, she asked her children’s father why she was barefoot. He told her they had had sex twice. The woman questioned whether she was too naive not to remember, and shortly afterward, she voluntarily engaged in another intimate encounter, hoping to determine if there was still love left. However, the experience felt painful, akin to knife wounds. She soon became dizzy and vomited, prompting her to take a bus to the nearest hospital, where traces of zolpidem were found in her system. During the trial, the woman recounted her ordeal, describing the emotional toll of not knowing what had transpired. Her long-term partner turned away during her testimony. The defense attorney proposed an alternative theory, suggesting the woman might be fabricating the story to accuse him of infidelity, possibly due to suspicions of a hidden child in Turkey. He noted that she had spoken with his client for nearly two hours the day before the trial and had brought him the outfit he wore to court the previous day, implying she might feel guilty. The panel of judges expressed confidence in the victim’s credibility, emphasizing that her statement was highly reliable. As a result, the previously unblemished man was sentenced to four years in prison, despite the maximum penalty being ten years. His attorney filed appeals against the verdict, meaning the judgment is not yet final. The case highlights the complexities surrounding allegations of sexual assault involving substances and the challenges faced by victims in proving such crimes. The legal process continues, with the possibility of further appeals and reviews.