Spiking Awareness and Prevention
What is spiking?
Spiking is the covert administration of substances (e.g. drugs and alcohol) to another person without their knowledge or consent.
Alcohol is the most common substance used in spiking incidents. Getting your friend a double when they only asked for a single or slipping alcohol into the “alcohol-free” punch are both forms of spiking.
Other substances used include Gamma-HydroxyButyrate (GHB) and Gamma-ButyroLactone (GBL) , alongside tranquillisers: most often benzodiazepines, including Valium (diazepam) and Rohypnol and Ketamine.
Spiking can happen anywhere, to anyone, at any time.
Spiking doesn’t just happen on a night out. People can become victims of spiking at festivals, at sporting or music events, at work and even at home.
While recent data still shows an overwhelming 92% of victims as identifying as female, men can also be victims and are much less likely to report the crime meaning that results are highly likely to be skewed.
Guidance
We strongly encourage operators of licensed premises to take steps to safeguard their customers and keep their venue secure from these incidents by training staff so that they are vigilant in identifying problems before they occur. Operators should also train staff on how to respond to a suspected spiking incident and support individuals who may have been spiked.
Guidance developed jointly by a number of industry bodies is available to view and download here.
A free public awareness video produced by the charity “Stamp out Spiking” is also available to view online here.
Spiking Awareness Training
FREE online “Spiking Awareness Training” sessions are also currently available to book via Red Snapper Learning. Red Snapper Learning is working on behalf of the Home Office to deliver these sessions, which are designed to help hospitality staff and venue operators identify, prevent, and respond effectively to spiking incidents.
Further information on how to sign up for these FREE sessions can be found online here.
Spiking posters
The posters below are available to licence holders to use on their premises.
Last reviewed: