Spiking victims have spoken out about their experiences as police warn that “harmful myths and stereotypes” mean that the crime is still underreported. The National Police Chiefs Council has been working with forces across the UK to combat spiking. Spiking involves placing drugs or alcohol into someone’s drink or body without their knowledge or consent.
Stamp Out Spiking, a charity founded to tackle the increasing number of spiking incidents across the UK, estimates that up to 90% of victims do not report the crime. Ministers are poised to impose a new law that would make spiking a specific criminal offence, potentially allowing police to better respond to incidents.
Police in England and Wales received 6,732 reports of spiking in the year up to April 2023. This number is likely to be much higher due to “harmful myths and stereotypes” that prevent victims from coming forward, according to the NPCC. Cases are challenging to investigate as drugs quickly pass through systems and are often missed by forensic evidence.
BBC spoke with a number of individuals who had not reported their experiences to police, citing reasons such as “shame, embarrassment, and the belief nothing would be done.” Symptoms of spiking can include memory loss, confusion, hallucinations, and the inability to communicate properly.
Spiking is already a crime and is covered by legislation which includes the 1861 Offences against the Person Act. But the government believes making it a specific offence could help investigations. Dawn Dines, founder of Stamp Out Spiking, wants accredited training for personnel working at bars, nightclubs, public transport and hospitals to better educate them on what to look out for
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