DR MARY KOSS ('Date rape: I gave it the name') states that 'the term was first used in Ms magazine in 1987'. It is always dangerous to claim a coinage] In fact, the first record of date rape in the files of the Oxford English Dictionary comes from the American magazine Mademoiselle in November 1980: 'He could be prosecuted if only the legal system would accept that 'date rape' is possible.' Sorry.

John Simpson

Co-Editor

Oxford English Dictionary

Oxford