How To Be Safe From Spiking.

You will have heard the horror stories about spiking incidents while at festivals on a night out but unfortunately more and more young people are becoming victims of this horrible form of abuse. Official statistics on spiking are not regularly published, but NSW Police recorded 186 drink or food spiking incidents from July 2021 to June 2022, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR).

So What is Spiking?
‘Spiking’ is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person’s drink or their body without their knowledge or consent.

Different types of spiking can include the following substances being added to drinks:

Alcohol
‘Date rape’ drugs
Illegal drugs
Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquillisers, sedatives, opiates)
Drink spiking can happen to any type of drink, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

There are various reasons why someone might decide to ‘spike’ another person. It might be intended as a ‘joke’, or to make it easier for them to commit a violent crime or assault their victim. Motives may include:

Rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse
Non-sexual assault
Robbery
Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquillisers, sedatives, opiates)

Spiking is a Crime

It is never the victim’s fault!

Spiking someone in order to commit a violent or sexual offence against them is a serious crime – no matter whether any sexual offence took place. New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory all have serious offences covering drink spiking with a drug with intent to commit an indictable offence. Maximum penalties range from 20 years to life imprisonment.

If the aggressor also committed a sexual offence against the victim they spiked, they will face additional charges.

How to Know if you Have Been Spiked
The effects of drink spiking vary depending on the substance. However, symptoms could include:

Lowered inhibitions
Loss of balance
Feeling sleepy
Visual problems
Confusion
Nausea
Vomiting
Unconsciousness
The symptoms will depend on lots of factors such as the substance or mix of substances used including the dose, your size and weight, and how much alcohol you might have already consumed.

Better to be Safe than Sorry
Always buy your own drink and watch as the person pours it.
Don’t accept drinks from strangers.
Never leave your drink unattended while you dance or go to the toilet.
Don’t drink or taste anyone else’s drink.
Throw your drink away if you think it tastes strange or different.

What you should do if you suspect someone has been spiked?
Tell a bar manager, bouncer, or member of staff.
Calm and reassure the individual.
Keep them warm and comfortable in a safe stable location.
DO NOT induce vomiting.
Monitor the individual and ensure they are breathing steadily and are responsive to you.
Check for further injuries.
Take them to the emergency department.
If the individual continues to deteriorate, loses consciousness, continues breathing irregularly, or even stops breathing call 000 immediately.
If someone is unconscious but breathing, and has no other injuries place them in the recovery position until help arrives.
If someone stops breathing start to administer CPR.

What can Venues Do:
Some venues responded by introducing measures such as protective drinks covers, increased entry searches, and ‘women only’ evenings.

Some festival organisers have also set up tents where you can go to test your drinks for dangerous substances.

Hot Response First Aid provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. We are not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken on this information. To learn more about our high quality first aid courses please contact us via email or visit our website www.hotresponsefa.com.au