This article analyses the criminal phenomenology of sexual abuse offences committed through the use of psychoactive substances. A descriptive analysis of a sample of judgments was carried out as a result of criminal proceedings in Spain between 1999 and 2016, examining different variables available on the criminal offence, the victim and the perpetrator. The sample analysed shows that in most cases (76 %) the perpetrator took advantage of a situation of ‘chemical vulnerability’, the victim itself being the victim who had voluntarily consumed psychoactive substances. In only 24 % of cases, a real ‘chemical submission’ could be demonstrated through the covert administration of substances by third parties, which caused the victim an incapacitating situation. Based on the analysis of the most common factors found, and the review of previous studies, some measures are proposed to improve the prevention and detection of this type of crime.