Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Kent, and the University of Creative Arts in Canterbury, have been working collaboratively with key partners including Kent Police, Canterbury City Council, and Canterbury BID to tackle spiking in our communities.

We want to make it clear that spiking is never the fault of the victim, it is always the fault of the perpetrator. Drink spiking is a criminal offence, and we are committed to working together to keep our students safe.

Kent Police have worked with key licenced trade venues to ensure that all reports of spiking are reported to the police so that appropriate action can be taken. Venues have also been taking measures to protect their customers including reviewing or establishing spiking policies, testing empty glasses, providing drink coverings, and increasing searches before entry.

We take reports of spiking very seriously and provide support for any students who have witnessed or experienced spiking.

What is spiking?

‘Spiking’ is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person’s drink or their body without their knowledge and/or consent. Spiking is a serious criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of ten years in prison in England and Wales.

What does spiking look like?

There are many different substances that can be used to spike, from alcohol to a range of drugs. Whilst there are some indications that a drink may have been spiked, often this is not the case. If in doubt talk to the bar staff at the venue; however, some tell-tale signs may include:

Excessive bubbles
A cloudy drink
A strange or unexpected taste
If the colour has changed or appears mixed
If the ice sinks
There could be no change in your drink at all

Indications that you may have been spiked include:

Feeling drunk after little drinking
Feeling dizzy, faint, or confused
Passing out or vomiting
Impaired vision or speech

You’re thinking of spiking someone’s drink, you should know:

Drink spiking is illegal and carries a sentence of up to ten years in prison. This means that slipping alcohol or drugs into someone’s drink is against the law, even if the drink is not consumed or the person is not harmed.

Whilst spiking is always the fault of the perpetrator, there are steps you can take to stay safe:

Never leave your drink unattended.
Use a drink cover or bottle spikey where possible - these are available form St Georges' Reception.
Try and make sure that you stay with your friends or people you know.

What to do if you or a friend think you may have been spiked:

Inside a venue:

Get to a safe space.
Inform the venue team. If you do not feel safe to do this explicitly go to the bar and 'Ask for Angela' - a phrase aimed at making bar staff aware of an issue in a safe and discreet way.
If medical or police assistance is required, ask the venue to arrange this immediately.
Do not leave the venue alone or with someone you don’t know or trust.
Take note of the time and areas where you and your friend have been in the last 30 minutes. This will help in getting evidence from CCTV.

If you have left the venue or are at home:

If you have already left the venue and the incident has just happened, call 999 for the Police to attend or to arrange an ambulance if you require urgent medical assistance.
If you are reporting this incident more than 12 hours afterwards, please call 101 and record what happened. Police will then advise appropriate action.
If you go to the nearest A&E department, tell the medical staff that you think they have been spiked.

If you have been affected by spiking recently or in the past, you can access confidential support through Report and Support.

To find out more about drink spiking visit the Drinkaware website.

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