Why we welcome new Leicestershire Police campaign to highlight the evil practice of ‘spiking’

So many of the women and young people we support here at The New Futures Project are living with the trauma of sexual assault.

And, in a significant number of those cases, they were victims of ‘spiking’ – most commonly, the illicit addition of alcohol or drugs to a person’s drink or food in order to confuse or incapacitate them.

However, in recent years a number of people have reported being injected with unknown substances which caused  disorientation or unconsciousness.

Now, a new police campaign aims to shine a light on spiking while also ensuring that people working in pubs, clubs and other establishments across the city and county know what they need to do if a customer believes they have been targeted.

At the beginning of the first national ‘Spiking Awareness Week’ today, (Monday, March, 18) Leicestershire Police stressed the practice is illegal, ‘whether it’s done as a prank or with the intent to steal from or assault the victim’.

Leicestershire and three other UK forces are piloting a new online platform through which victims can report offences committed against them or suspicious incidents.

Our director, Della Kagure Brown, says: “Unfortunately, this is an issue we have been aware of for some years.

“Many of the most horrific instances of rape and abuse our clients have experienced have been committed after ‘spiking’.

“It is a terrifying experience for women to realise what has happened to them whilst they were unable to protect themselves.

“Many women feel guilt and shame because they have no memory of what happened and believe they were in some way responsible.

“If you have been affected at any time in the past and you need to talk it through then please do get in touch with us and we can help you to deal with the impact.”

Throughout Spiking Awareness Week, officers are visiting bars and clubs to give out ‘anti-spiking’ bottle and glass toppers while also speaking to managers and staff know what to do in the event of a spiking incident.

Detective Superintendent Chris Baker, the force’s lead for tackling violence against women and girls, (VAWG), said: “Spiking is a crime which can have a lasting impact on victims. But it is also a means to facilitate further and more serious offences as the effects can incapacitate victims.

“I would urge anyone who thinks they have had their drink tampered with to report it immediately to staff, or to the police, so that we can safeguard them.

“We take this issue extremely seriously and will investigate every report made to us.

“This week is all about raising awareness of the issue to prevent spiking and ensure that if anyone does have their drink spiked they know what to do and how to get help.

“We all want our cities and towns to be safe places to enjoy a night out which is why local officers work closely all year round with licensees and door staff to tackle and prevent this issue together.” 

People can report an incident by calling police on 101 or, in an emergency, by dialling 999.

Reports can also be made via the new online platform here. Meanwhile, further advice from the force on how you can protect yourself can be found here.

 Drink spiking can happen in any situation, at home or on a night out. However, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself, according to Leicestershire Police:

• Never leave your drink unattended, whether it’s alcoholic or not

• Don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know

• Avoid drinking too much by sticking to the UK ‘low risk’ drinking guidelines

• Stick together with friends, and look out for each other

  
  

The force also suggests people take the following steps if they encounter someone they believe to have been spiked:

• Tell a bar manager, bouncer or member of staff

• Stay with them and keep talking to them

• Call an ambulance if their condition deteriorates

• Don’t let them go home on their own

• Don’t let them leave with someone you don’t know or trust

• Don’t let them drink more alcohol – this could lead to more serious problems

New Futures was set up more than 20 years ago to support women involved in sex work.

However, we have evolved into a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.

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