Understanding and Combating Spiking: Awareness and Prevention
Spiking is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences. It involves the surreptitious addition of drugs or alcohol to someone’s drink without their knowledge or injecting them. This is often done with the intention of sexual assault, theft, or other malicious activities.
Raising awareness and understanding the signs are crucial steps in protecting ourselves and others from this serious threat.
Spiking occurs in various settings, including bars, clubs, parties, and even private gatherings. Common substances used to spike people include:
- Alcohol: Adding additional, unwanted alcohol to a drink can lead to rapid intoxication.
- Drugs: Substances such as Rohypnol, GHB, and ketamine are often used due to their sedative effects.
The effects of these substances can vary but often include dizziness, confusion, nausea, and loss of consciousness. Victims often have little to no memory of events following the spiking, making it challenging to identify perpetrators.
Recognising the Signs
It is important to be vigilant and recognise the signs that might indicate spiking:
- Unusual taste: If your drink tastes different, the fizz has changed or it is unusually strong, it could be a sign.
- Change in appearance: Your drink may have a foggy or cloudy appearance.
- The ice: The ice in your drink may sink.
- Sudden intoxication: Feeling drunk or disoriented after consuming a small amount of alcohol.
- Physical symptoms: Dizziness, nausea, and confusion that are disproportionate to the amount of alcohol consumed.
Signs you or a friend may have been spiked
It is important to recognise the signs of being spiked.
- Loss of bowel and/or bladder control
- Passing out
- Vomiting or nausea
- Feeling ill, sleepy, faint, dizzy or disorientated
- Waking up with blanks in memory, confusion or feeling uncomfortable
- A change in body temperature, this could be chattering teeth or sweating
- Feeling drunk, even if you have had little or no alcohol
- Poor co-ordination
- Inability to communicate clearly
Preventive Measures
While the responsibility for spiking lies solely with the perpetrator, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk:
- Stay Vigilant: Always keep an eye on your drink. If you need to leave it unattended, ask a trusted friend to watch it.
- Accept Drinks Cautiously: Only accept drinks from people you trust and preferably from the bartender directly.
- Use Drink Covers: Consider using drink spiking prevention devices like drink covers or testing kits.
- Watch Your Friends: Look out for your friends and ensure they do the same for you. Stick together and keep an eye on each other’s drinks and any unusual and rapid changes behaviour.
What to do if you suspect drink spiking
If you suspect you or friend has had their drink spiked, take immediate action:
- Tell Someone: Inform a friend, bartender, or security staff immediately.
- Seek Medical Help: Get to a safe place and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Report the Incident: Reporting the incident helps authorities track and investigate such cases. Provide as much information as possible to aid in their investigation.
- Preserve Evidence: Get a sample of your drink to allow the Police to test the contents.
- Stay with Friends: Do not go home alone. Stay with trusted friends who can look after you and ensure your safety.
What to do if you suspect you have been spiked by injection
If you suspect you or a friend has been spiked by injection, it’s crucial to act quickly:
- Tell Someone: Inform a friend, bar staff, or security staff immediately.
- Seek Medical Help: Get to a safe place and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Report the Incident: Reporting the incident helps authorities track and investigate such cases. Provide as much information as possible to aid in their investigation.
- Preserve Evidence: If possible, avoid washing the area where you suspect you were injected. This can help preserve evidence for the police.
- Stay with Friends: Do not go home alone. Stay with trusted friends who can look after you and ensure your safety.
Spiking should always be reported to the Police.
Spiking is a crime, and it is the responsibility of the person administering the drugs in whatever form, not the victim.
Girls Night In: ‘Spiking is part of going out – so we’re staying in’ – BBC News
Preventing drink spiking in pubs
Drink spiking and date rape drugs | Drinkaware
Ask for Angela | Metropolitan Police
Ask For Clive | Everyone is welcome here
Pubwatch Interview about Drink Spiking Tests
Home secretary wants police update on spiking by needles – BBC News
Spiked Drink Symptoms & Facts | Alcohol Think Again
Plymouth Pubwatch says ‘We need to make drink-spike testing more accessible’ – National Pubwatch
Prevent Drink Spiking in Your Bar
Drink spiking advice | Professional Security Magazine
164 drink and injection spiking incidents across UK in two months – LBC