Drink Spiking Is On The Rise But Going Unreported – A Victim Tells Us Why

Drink spiking isn't new, and while it's difficult to know exactly how common it is because of the number of incidents that go unreported, evidence suggests the crime is on the rise. The number of reported incidents doubled in less than three years, according to new figures from UK police.

The number of reports to police forces containing both the words "drink" and "spiking" or "lacing" rose by 108% between 2015 and 2017, Sky News reported today. London, which recorded the most cases, saw a 74% increase from 103 recorded incidents three years ago to 179 last year, and there were 1,039 instances recorded countrywide.

But many victims and experts believe these numbers barely scratch the surface as so many victims don't come forward. DI Daniel Boulter, head of the rape and sexual assault task force at Lincolnshire Police, which rolled out a citywide drinks testing scheme in participating bars earlier this year, also described it as a glaringly underreported crime.

Most victims don't report it if they end up getting home safely with the help of friends, bar staff or a taxi driver, and police only tend to deal with it in relation to sexual assaults, he told Sky News. Another reason is the lack of concrete evidence, as one victim told Refinery29 (below).

The most common substance used to spike drinks (including in cases of so-called "date rape", a.k.a. rape) is Rohypnol, but any drug can be used, such as ketamine, GHB and LSD, as well as alcohol itself.

Nikita (not her real name), 28, from Reading, had her drink spiked with an unknown substance by a stranger in 2016 while at a gig in London. She was with her boyfriend and four friends, and was on her third drink of the evening when the incident happened. "I was dancing with a pint glass in my hand when a guy tried to dance with me and I told him to go away," she told Refinery29. "He was persistent, leaned forward and bit me on the neck, which is probably when he drugged me. Then he walked off."

While she didn't notice anything odd about the taste of her drink at the time, what happened next remains a blur. "I don't remember any of the evening after it happened, apparently I was sick everywhere and kept passing out. My friends got me home, partly on the train, where I was sick again, and then one of their parents came to get us."

Nikita felt unable to talk to her friends about what happened in the days that followed, and she never reported it to the police because she "had no evidence". She continued: "I woke up the next day on my own confused and none of my friends would talk to me about it. Eventually they told me they had no idea what had happened and had just wanted to get me home."

Her then-boyfriend was also unsympathetic and blamed her for what happened: she subsequently found out that the pair had a serious argument and he left her at the venue. "I think they were all embarrassed – not because I did anything wrong, but because they didn't know how to deal with it," she believes.

The events of that night have had a lasting impact on Nikita's behaviour. "I no longer drink pints at gigs, I always drink from a bottle or a can with a straw and I keep my finger over the opening at all times. At festivals I use covered cups with a straw."

There are a number of initiatives and gadgets on the market aimed at protecting women from becoming victims – such as Undercover Colors nail polish, anti-drink spiking stoppers, coasters, cups and straws – but seemingly less attention on stopping the crime at its source by deterring perpetrators and encouraging people to report it to the police. Lincolnshire's new scheme does aim to raise awareness and deter these criminals, but where is the nationwide campaign?

Pubs, bars and clubs also have an important part to play, Nikita believes. "Security should also be aware of peculiar behaviour [associated with these drugs] and know how to advise others." There should also be posters in the venues to deter perpetrators, advise people what to do and the signs to look out for.

These are the symptoms to look out for, according to the NHS:

• lowered inhibitions
• difficulty concentrating or speaking
• loss of balance and finding it hard to move
• visual problems, particularly blurred vision
• memory loss (amnesia) or "blackouts"
• feeling confused or disorientated, particularly after waking up (if you've been asleep)
• paranoia (a feeling of fear or distrust of others)
• hallucinations (seeing, hearing or touching things that aren't there) or having an "out of body" experience
• nausea and vomiting
• unconsciousness