Spiking
‘Spiking’ is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person’s drink or their body without their knowledge and/or consent.
There are several reasons why someone might decide to ‘spike’ another person with alcohol or drugs. It might be as a ‘prank’ or a ‘joke’, or to make it easier for them to commit a crime or form of violence or sexual violence against them, including:
- rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault or sexual abuse
- non-sexual physical assault
This is sometimes known as 'alcohol or drug-facilitated sexual assault' and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison – even if a sexual offence doesn't actually take place. If a sexual offence does take place, the person who carried it out will face an additional sentence.
women have had their drink spiked
of people do not think the police would believe them if they reported drink spiking
Indecent exposure can happen in person but it can also happen online or via a text message.
In other words, when someone sends another person an unwanted photo or video of either their genitals or someone else’s – what is commonly known as a ‘dick pic’. Or, when someone exposes themselves to another person over live video.
This form of indecent exposure has become known as ‘cyber flashing’.
Self Referrals
If you would like to refer yourself for therapy at HERSANA you can do this through our online self-referral form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are people spiked?
The most common way that people are spiked is by someone adding alcohol to their non-alcoholic drink, or extra alcohol to their alcoholic one, without their knowledge and/or consent.
However, drugs (legal or illegal) can also be added to drinks or put in someone’s body in another way, such as:
- Giving someone a drug but telling them it is a different dosage or a different drug altogether – for example, a drug that is commonly prescribed or sold as medicine.
- Injecting it into them with a syringe.
Please know that these are just two examples of other ways that people might be spiked with drugs – it is not a full list.
Someone can be spiked with any type of drug, including:
- Illegal drugs that are commonly taken on nights out or at parties – for example, Ecstasy (also known as ‘MD’, ‘MDMA’, ‘Pills’, ‘Mandy’ or ‘Molly’), Ketamine, GBL or LSD. These are sometimes known as ‘party drugs’ or ‘club drugs’.
- Drugs that have become known for their use by people who commit spiking in order to rape, sexually assault or sexually abuse someone – for example, Rohypnol or GBL. These are commonly known as ‘date rape drugs’. However, people often also take these drugs out of choice, including on nights out or at parties.
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Prescription medicines, such as sedatives, tranquilisers and opiates – for example, Valium or Xanax.
What are ‘date rape drugs’?
These drugs are sometimes used by people who want to commit a form of sexual violence or abuse for several reasons:
- They can make people become physically weak, feel ‘out-of-control’ or pass out.
- They can be odourless, colourless and tasteless – so it can be hard to know if your drink has been spiked with them.
- They leave the body within a short amount of time, making them hard to detect.
- They can cause memory loss – so the victim or survivor might not remember exactly what happened to them or who the perpetrator was.
The most commonly known date rape drugs are:
- Rohypnol (also called roofie)
- Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
Other less common date rape drugs are:
- Ecstasy
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
- Ketamine
What happens when someone is spiked?
The effect on the victim or survivor will depend on several factors:
- What they were spiked with.
- How much they were spiked with.
- If they had already consumed alcohol or taken drugs and how much they consumed.
- Their size and weight.
As we’ve seen, so-called ‘date rape drugs’ can make someone weak, feel ‘out-of-control’ or pass out.
However, all alcohol and drugs can have this effect, depending on the factors listed above.
Other symptoms of spiking include:
- feeling or being sick
- feeling ‘strange’ or drunker than expected
- feeling confused or disorientated
- feeling sleepy
- blurred or slowed vision, or trouble seeing properly
- loss of balance or coordination
- having trouble communicating
- having hallucinations
- acting strangely or out of character
- memory loss
- unconsciousness
These symptoms might start to come into effect within 15 minutes, depending on what a person has been spiked with. Symptoms can last for several hours.
What is ‘date rape’?
So-called ‘date rape’ is when someone carries out rape or another form of sexual violence or abuse against another person after spiking them.
It is important to note that ‘date rape’ is not a legal term. Under the law, rape is always just rape and sexual assault is always just sexual assault – no matter if the victim or survivor knew their perpetrator or if they were spiked with alcohol or drugs.
The term ‘date rape’ refers to the fact that some perpetrators spike their victims while on dates with them or after meeting them on nights out.
BUT, spiking and sexual violence or abuse can also be committed by a stranger or someone known to the victim in another way. For example:
- an ex-partner
- someone they used to date
- an acquaintance (someone they only know a little bit)
- a friend
- a colleague
- a family member
I’m not sure if it happened to me
One of the main effects of date rape drugs is memory loss, so you might not be sure if you've been assaulted. If you give permission, forensic tests can be done to check for date rape drugs in your system. Blood and urine samples need to be taken quite soon after the incident. But hair and nail samples can be used to detect drugs much later. You can report drink spiking even if you don't think you've been assaulted.
This feels triggering
Everyone responds differently to indecent exposure – so whatever someone feels is a valid response. But, for lots of people, it can have a long-lasting impact on their feelings and wellbeing.
If you have experienced indecent exposure of any kind – whether it was recently or a long time ago – HERSANA is here for you. We will listen to you, believe you and create a safe space for you.
How can I help someone if I suspect they have been spiked?
If you think someone has had their drink spiked, and they are showing any of the symptoms described above there are a few things you can do to help:
The most important thing is to try to make sure that someone trusted stays with them until they have got home safely and – if possible – until the symptoms have worn off.
Other things you can do to help include:
- Tell a bar manager, bouncer or member of staff
- Stay with them and keep talking to them
- Call an ambulance if their condition deteriorates
- Don’t let them leave with someone you don’t know or trust
- If you don’t know them or don’t know them well, try finding their friends or the people they were with
- Don’t let them drink more alcohol - this could lead to more serious problems
- Report the incident to the police by calling 999 or 101
Types of Sexual Abuse
‘Sexual violence’ means any sexual activity or act that happened without consent. Not all cases of sexual abuse involve violence, cause physical injury or leave visible marks. Sexual abuse can cause severe distress, emotional harm and injuries which can't be seen – all of which can take a long time to recover from. This is why we use the terms ‘violence’ and 'abuse', and treat disclosures and experiences just as seriously.
There are two types of sexual abuse – contact and non-contact abuse.
Contact abuse is where an abuser makes physical contact with a victim or forces the victim to make physical contact with someone else. Non-contact abuse is where a victim is abused without being touched by the abuser. This can be in person or online
Sexual violence can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the victim’s fault.