A recent survey by The Alcohol Education Trust has found a staggering one in seven women have had their drink spiked – and it’s increased by 108% in the past three years, with a quarter of spikings happening with non-alcoholic drinks. And now an alarming new trend has emerged whereby predators are feared to be injecting unsuspecting clubbers using needles filled with substances, which can cause blackouts. Some experts have cast doubt on the feasibility of using needles to spike someone and have said that “more evidence is needed.”
But police services across the country are investigating, with around 140 confirmed reports in the last two months of drink spiking and 24 reports of some form of injection. Home Secretary Priti Patel has demanded an urgent inquiry and a petition calling for clubs to be legally required to search guests on entry more thoroughly for all types of drugs has been signed by nearly 170,000 people.
Last week saw a movement to boycott nightclubs. The Night In campaign called on people to stay away from nightspots in a bid to urge venues to better protect clubgoers. The campaign has now spread across the UK.
The first boycott was held in Exeter last Monday and a further 64 cities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to hold similar events until 5 November.
Helena Conibear, head of The Alcohol Education Trust says, “Our poll revealed 35% of drinks were spiked at private parties, 28% in nightclubs, 13% in bars and 7% in festivals. The drugs are often tasteless and odourless so you would have no idea it has happened to you. In extreme cases, people have died. We have to be self-aware and look after each other – but we shouldn’t have to. We are calling for assurances from the nightlife industry, police, and A&E medics that they will take every case seriously. In our recent survey, only 9% of victims reported it because they didn’t think it would be. But this can happen to anyone, anywhere. It really is an epidemic.”
Closer talks to two women who have experienced the horror of being spiked…
‘I thought it was a young person’s problem – but we’re all vulnerable’
Businesswoman Cara Sayer, 49, lives in Walton on Thames with her 14-year-old daughter, Holly.
She says, “On 9 September this year I went to a private function in a local bar. I arrived at about 8pm with a friend, having had a two-course meal so our stomachs were well-lined.
“At 10pm, my friend said she was leaving, but I decided to stay for a little while longer as I only lived a few minutes away.
“I had felt absolutely fine up until that point, my friend said I didn’t seem drunk – she’d never have left me alone if she had any concerns.
“But I remember nothing else about the evening after she left. At midnight I was found in the toilets, unconscious and unresponsive surrounded by vomit.
“I don’t remember doing so at the time, but I rang my ex-husband telling him to come and get me. He was terrified, saying I didn’t sound anything like my normal self. I couldn’t even tell him where I was I was so out of it, but luckily he tracked me down through my friend and she came to fetch me and called an ambulance.
“I didn’t need hospitalisation, but the paramedics said they suspected I’d been drugged because of how my pupils looked. I woke up at 6am and felt very odd – I didn’t have a hangover, but I was absolutely exhausted. Over the next few days I felt nauseous, had no appetite, my temperature kept spiking and I felt overwhelmingly tired.
“I’ve never felt like this before and I’m positive my drink was spiked, though I don’t remember anyone odd hanging around or trying to speak to me and neither does my friend.
“I reported it to the police, who spoke to the venue, where staff said I was very drunk and aggressive and I’d damaged a DJ deck. This seemed to convince the police I’d drunk too much. To me, it made it even clearer that I’d been spiked as that sort of behaviour is completely out of character for me.
“Both my ex-husband and my friend said they’d never seen me like that before, that I could barely talk and seemed disorientated. It makes me angry that the police had dismissed it so quickly.
“I don’t blame myself for what happened – but I did leave my drink unattended, which looking back was dangerous. However, I felt safe because the bar wasn’t overly busy and it was just people around the same age as me.
“I shared my story on social media to warn others and the comments were eye-opening – one friend had her cup of tea spiked while in a pub. I was also shocked to discover that often people spike simply as a prank – but I fail to find any funny side.
“Thankfully, I’m positive I wasn’t assaulted. But I’m very aware that other women haven’t been so lucky.
“I’m not scared to go out now, but I will be more careful with my drinks when I do and I want to spread awareness that this is not just a young person’s problem, like I naively thought. Spiking is an epidemic – it can happen to anyone.”
Check out: the most shocking celebrity breakups of the decade
Most shocking breakups of the decade - slider
1 of 30Louise and Jamie Redknapp
They were the British A-list couple that we thought would last but the world was stunned in July 2017 when Louise and Jamie Redknapp confirmed they'd split after 19 years together. Months later Louise opened up about the end of her marriage and following the end of the Redknapp marriage, it was reported that celebrities were refusing to sign up to the BBC show because of the Strictly curse.
2 of 30Cheryl and Ashley Cole
Cheryl and Ashley Cole first met in 2004 and quickly became an A-list couple. Two years later they tied the knot in an extravagant wedding. However, in 2010 following cheating allegations that were splashed across the media, Chez split from her footballer husband.
3 of 30Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin
Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin had been together for 23 years and married for 11 but in January 2018, the TV presenter confirmed he was filing for divorce following his rehab stint.However after a drink driving arrest, a second visit to rehab and liking a lot of shady tweets – the pair officially divorced nine months after splitting.
4 of 30Lenny Henry and Dawn French
At the beginning of the decade, Dawn French and Lenny Henry announced they were splitting after 25 years of marriage.
5 of 30Paul and Alex Hollywood
Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood and his wife Alex split after 20 years together. They'd previously split in 2013 after the GBBO star had an affair with his American co-star but they managed to patch things over and make things work. For a while.
6 of 30Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
We still can't believe Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split in 2016 after ten years together and two years marriage. The couple are parents to six children; Maddox, 18, Shiloh, 13, Pax, 16, Zahara, 14, Vivienne, 11, and Knox, 11. Even George Clooney was stunned at the news; well, to be fair he did find out during an interview.
7 of 30Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green
We thought they'd be a real-life Romeo and Juliet (minus the death) but Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green called it quits after being married for three years. We weren't the only ones who thought they were a power couple; remember when Craig Lawson joked he'd be the next Pro Green and Millie with Camilla Thurlow? Yeah, that didn't last.
8 of 30Bruce and Kris Jenner
They're the head of the Kardashian/Jenner household but in 2013 the world was shocked when Bruce and Kris Jenner announced they had separated after 23 years of marriage. A year later, Kris filed for divorce and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason. A month after their divorce was finalised, Bruce publicly came out as a transgender woman – Caitlyn.
9 of 30Katy Perry and Russell Brand
One of the most heart-breaking celebrity break ups was definitely Katy Perry and Russell Brand, after all, she found out their 14-month marriage ended via TEXT. Their entire split was shown on her documentary Part of Me and remarkably Katy still performed on stage just hours after Russell announced he wanted to end their marriage.
10 of 30Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom had only known each other for three weeks before they tied the knot. Yes, really. They lasted four years before the Keeping Up with The Kardashians star filed for divorce. However, in 2015 she withdrew the file after Lamar suffered a drug overdose and she had to take control of his health decisions. There were reports that the pair would reunite but in 2016 their divorce was finalised.
11 of 30Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
Kim appeared to have followed in the footsteps as her younger sister Khloe when she got engaged to Kris Humphries after just seven months. She documented her 'dream' wedding on Keeping Up with The Kardashians but their relationship didn't last and they split just 72 DAYS after their wedding. Their breakup was also documented on their show.
12 of 30Stormzy and Maya Jama
We're still devastated about Stormzy and Maya Jama splitting, tbh. They were the dream team and had been together for four years – despite being very private they appeared in Vogue magazine together and the grime artist dedicated a song to her. However in August 2019 they called it quits and the TV presenter unfollowed him on Instagram.
13 of 30Seal and Heidi Klum
Seal and Heidi Klum renewed their wedding vows every year on their anniversary however after a seven-year marriage they called it quits. The A-list couple are parents to four children; Leni (who Heidi had from a previous relationship, but Seal adopted) and during their relationship they also welcomed Henry, Johan and Lou into the world.
14 of 30Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray
After dating for 10 years and then being married for four, Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray called time on their marriage. The pair confirmed the news in a statement saying, "This was a very difficult decision, but was reached mutually and amicably. No other parties are involved."
15 of 30Liam Payne and Cheryl
We're pretty sure the world was shocked when Liam Payne and Cheryl announced they were dating. However they then went on to welcome baby Bear Grey Payne into the world and despite breakup rumours they posed together at the Brit Awards in 2018. Unfortunately a few months later – and a total of two years together - they split.
16 of 30Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
This break up is still a bit weird and we're not really sure why it happened because – spoiler alert – they're not real people. Anyways, in 2015 the puppets announced the end of their relationship in a lengthy statement.
17 of 30Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
Another KUWTK break up – this one more surprising than the others – was Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick. The pair had been together for nine years and during that time they welcomed Mason, Penelope and Reign. They'd split a few times throughout their relationship – which included Scott doing to rehab and cheating allegations. However in 2015 they split for good.
18 of 30Cheryl and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
Cheryl literally surprised the world when she announced on Instagram that she had eloped with Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after three months of dating. The pair seemed totally in love until Cheryl raised concerns among fans after losing a lot of weight and slammed any split rumours by revealing her father in law had died. Unfortunately their romance wasn't to last and after 18 months of marriage they split.
19 of 30Perrie Edwards and Zayn Malik
Little Mix's Perri Edwards and One Direction's Zayn Malik were X Factor sweethearts. They supported each other's career, posted adorable snaps and even got a puppy together. The singers then got engaged but two years later – following cheating accusations and after Zayn quit One Direction – it came to light that he ended their relationship. While she claimed he dumped her via text, he denied it.
20 of 30Adele and Simon Konecki
She's notoriously private with her life but in 2019 is came to light that Adele and her husband Simon Konecki had split. Awhopping £145m is the figure being talked about in relation to their divorce. In 2012 they welcomed their only child into the world – Angelo.
21 of 30Chris Pratt and Anna Faris
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced they were splitting back in 2018 and a few months later their divorce was finalised. At the time they released a statement, saying: "We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. "Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward."They went on to say they "still have love for each other".
22 of 30Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan
Step Up stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan called it quits after being married for eight years. At the time they insisted they'd "lovingly chosen to separate as a couple". During their relationship they welcomed their daughter Everly into the world.
23 of 30Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk
We were devastated in June 2019 when one of the hottest A-list couples – Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk – split after four years together. Apparently the parents to their daughter Lea De Seine hadn't "been good for a few months".
24 of 30Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes dated for seven years and were married for six but in 2012 it came to light that she had filed for divorce. He later spoke out and admitted he "did not expect" the turn of events.
25 of 30Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux
Friends star Jennifer Aniston and her husband Justin Theroux called it quits after being married for two years. At the time they said the "decision was mutual and loving" and it appeared to be the truth because a year later to paid tribute to his ex-wife to celebrate her 50th birthday.
26 of 30Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom
Victoria's Secret model and Hollywood actor Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom broke up after six years together. After being married for three years they announced they'd been "amicably separated for the past few months" before confirming their relationship had ended.
27 of 30Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth lived a real-life story after falling in love on the set of The Last Song. However after four years together they split. They were then on/off but decided to call it quits AGAIN after eight years together. Their relationship didn't end there though because they reunited and got married but eight months after their wedding they split again.
28 of 30Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Another couple who took the world by surprise were Twilightstars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. They met on the set of the vampire phenomenon back in 2009 and fell in love. While we all thought it would last, it didn't. Their relationship hit a rough patch in 2012 when Kristen's affair with her married director Rupert Sanders was exposed by paparazzi. Robert forgave her and they tried to make it work but they split a few months later.
29 of 30Fergie and Josh Duhamel
After eight years together Fergie and Josh Duhamel announced their split. Fast forward two years and Fergie filed for divorce.
30 of 30Matt Leblanc and Aurora Mulligan
In news that shocked Friends fans the world over, In February 2022 it was reported that Matt LeBlanc - best known for playing Joey Tribbiani on the show – had split from his girlfriend of six years, Top Gear producer Aurora Mulligan.
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‘I was drugged by injection’
Zara Owen, 19, is a university student in Nottingham and works as a waitress. She’s convinced she was a victim of the latest method of spiking – by injection.
She says, “I’ve always been very aware of the possibility that my drink could be spiked, so I take precautions when I go out clubbing. For example, I’d never accept a drink from a stranger and I’m careful to drink bottled alcopops on the dance floor, so I can put my finger over the top.
“However, one night last month, I went for dinner with my friends and then, at about 11pm, four of us went to a nightclub. I remember going to the bar to order a drink – but after that, everything is blank.
“A friend told me I got an Uber home between 2 and 3am. I woke up at about 10am with no recollection of the night at all, which has never happened to me before. My leg was in agony and when I looked at it, I had a needle pinprick where the pain radiated from. I was walking with a limp afterwards for a few days.
“I have no recollection of feeling a pricking sensation – but the club was busy, someone could have knocked past me and done it and I wouldn’t have realised what was happening. I wish I could remember more. When I spoke to my friends, they said that I’d been acting oddly and kept on walking off from them – something I’d never do normally. That and the complete memory loss and needle prick mark made me think I must have been injected, though my friends said they didn’t notice anyone hanging around me looking suspicious.
“I went to hospital the next day, but I was waiting for eight hours and eventually I went home as I had to work early the next morning. I reported it to the police and the inquiry is ongoing but I’m in no doubt about what happened. I had no other bruises or marks, so I’m confident I wasn’t further assaulted. But it’s terrifying to have memory loss and to know that someone else did that to you deliberately, whether to laugh at me being so out of it or because they hoped to have an opportunity to do something to me.
“I am determined to not let it stop me living my life. I’m not scared to go out, but I will be more cautious.”
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Stay safe
- Never leave your drink unattended and never accept a drink from someone you don’t know
- Stay with your friends, know how you’re all getting home and make sure your phones are charged
- If you are on a first date and want to accept a drink, then go to the bar with them when they order and only take one from the server
- If you’re with a new group of friends – for example at university – let a trusted friend or someone in your family know where you’re going and whether you’re expecting to come back. Also consider turning on the locator on your phone, so you can be easily found on apps, such as Find My Friends or Snapchat
- Take sensible precautions on any night out, stay hydrated, eat before you go out and pace yourself
- If you’re a bar owner or staff, watch out for your customers’ safety
- If you think your friend has been spiked, tell a bar manager, bouncer or member of staff. Call 999 if their condition gets worse and stay with them and keep talking to them
- Symptoms of drink spiking include: lowered inhibitions, loss of balance and visual problems, confusion, vomiting, unconsciousness