At Your SU we try to support you to be as safe as possible during your student journey with us. This month, as Welcome and Welcome Back parties and meet-ups continue into the semester, we are focusing on how to stay safe around drugs and alcohol. You may have already heard of the term ‘spiking’ but what exactly does it mean? Why and how will it affect you? And where can you go to get support if you need to? Read on to find out more…
What is ‘spiking’?
In this context, the term ‘spiking’ refers to when someone puts alcohol or drugs into someone else’s body without their knowledge or consent. Less common ways of doing this are through needle or vape spiking, but the most likely way you may experience spiking is by someone putting something in your drink. Reasons people spike other people can range from making it easier to steal from or assault another person, to wanting to feel powerful or thinking it’s a bit of a laugh. But ‘spiking’ is no laughing matter. Not only is it a crime that can result in up to ten years in prison if the person/people doing the spiking get caught – it can also have a huge impact on a person's life, with lifechanging effects to their emotional, physical and mental health that can last long after the ‘spiking’ has taken place.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking any of these?
"Drink spiking won’t happen to me because…
...I'm not a vulnerable person."
Incorrect. ‘Spiking’ can happen to absolutely anyone. Recent surveys show that 1 in 10 young adults under 25 report that they think they have had their drink spiked. Although other statistics report that 9 out of 10 people manage to enjoy their night without worry or incident, everyone is vulnerable to being spiked and everyone can benefit from staying vigilant for both their friends and themselves.
...I don't drink alcohol."
Incorrect. Alcohol and drugs can be concealed in anything, including non-alcoholic drinks.
…I only go to house parties, not to clubs or other public venues."
Incorrect. ‘Spiking’ can happen anywhere, not just at big public gatherings like festivals, clubs or pubs.
Did you know? If, at a house party, a friend asks you to make them a drink with one shot of alcohol and you knowingly and deliberately put in more than they’ve asked for without their knowledge, this also counts as ‘spiking’.
What can I do to prevent spiking?
‘Spiking’ should not be something you have to worry about and if you find yourself in a situation where you think you have been ‘spiked’ you will never be to blame. Some top tips you can take to try and reassure yourself when drinking in public include:
- Don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know. If a drink is being made for you, watch while your drink is made and take it directly from the server.
- Never take eyes off your drink or leave it unattended.
- Try to stay in control of yourself as much as possible, doing things like purposely drinking too much alcohol can make it harder for you to make the right decisions and be aware of risks.
- Consider sticking to bottled drinks and avoiding shared open containers like cocktail jugs or punchbowls.
How do I know if myself or my friend has been spiked, and what should I do?
It is often quite difficult to tell if you have been spiked until much later. The majority of the drugs used to spike drinks have no taste or smell and a lot of the early signs are similar to when a person is really drunk. Signs you can look out for include:
- A sudden change in behaviour, going from acting sober to acting very drunk in a short space of time.
- Nausea and sickness.
- Passing out or blackouts in memory.
- Confusion, slurred speech and difficulty moving limbs or keeping balance.
If you are in an immediate situation where you think your friend has been spiked, always remember to 'CASS':
C: call out suspicious behaviour.
A: alert the host of the party or a member of staff/security at the venue or location.
S: seek medical support. This could be through staff at the venue, through the Safezone app (if you are on Coventry campus) or by calling 999 in an emergency.
S: stay with the affected person. Support them, reassure them and help them get home (or to a safe place) if it is deemed safe to do so.
Where can I go for support?
We hope you will never have to get support for the effects of drink spiking. But if you think you have been spiked there are places and people out there to help you. Always remember ‘spiking’ is illegal and never the fault of the victim who has been ‘spiked’. The more people that speak out against and report ‘spiking’, the harder it will be for people to get away with it. Check out these support resources below:
Your SU - Safety Information
Go to Life-stuff.org for more comprehensive information on everything to do with drugs, alcohol and mental health support.
Coventry University Sexual Harassment Reporting Tool
Your SU - Your Advice Service