Students Across the UK Take Action After a Large Number of Spiking Incidents Are Reported

Figures released on Wednesday confirmed over 200 reports in October of young women being spiked on nights out. 56 of these incidents were discovered to be by injection.

In the hope of change, young women are boycotting UK bars and clubs in 45 cities across the UK over the coming nights to demand action on both drink-spiking and spiking by injection.

Milly Seaford, a 21-year-old student at the University of Edinburgh and co-organiser of the Girls Night In boycott, said: "People are really fed up. It's got to the point where everyone knows someone who has been spiked, or they have been spiked themselves. We just want to enjoy a night out and we know there's stuff that can be done to prevent this."

The Girls Night In movement is set to see women engaging in various other activities, such as movie nights, karaoke nights and pamper nights, as opposed to going out to a club.

Girls Night In manifestos are as follows: prevention, welfare and support.

This includes regular and comprehensive active bystander training for all bar and club staff, nightclubs having a designated and identifiable welfare officer, anti- spiking devices to be made available, a clearly communicated zero-tolerance policy on spiking and a clearly written procedure on reporting and support for staff and customers.

(Image: @brumnightin)

Universities have shown their support to the Girls Night In campaign with the Students’ Unions at the University of Birmingham, Aston University and Birmingham City University cancelling Sports Night on Wednesday 27th October.

A statement released by the University of Birmingham’s Cricket Club read, “As a club we support a safe night out for everyone in Birmingham and all across the UK. We will therefore be boycotting clubs on Wednesday 27th October to stand in unity with Girls Night In campaigns and to raise awareness of the increased reports of spiking in our nightclubs.”

(Image: @ubwcc)

However, some still felt that there had been no changes to try and tackle spiking.

A young woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, talks on her sister’s behalf as she fell victim to a spiking attack in Snobs nightclub, Birmingham.

“At 2:30am on Sunday morning I had to go into town to collect my sister after her friend frantically phoned me to say she had been spiked in Snobs and that she was now in an ambulance.”

“I then arrived at Snobs to find my sister in a wheelchair unable to walk and barely able to speak due to the neglect of safety procedures from staff.”

Snobs nightclub have continued to post on Instagram promoting their club, leaving no response under comments regarding the said spiking's.

“Snobs have made no changes to try and eliminate spiking. They are neglectful and aggressive towards guests and are continuing to act as if nothing has happened despite there being numerous accounts of spikings.”

Since the ongoing campaigns to tackle spiking, the government have released a survey asking for the experiences of victims and witnesses of spiking.

This survey is running until Wednesday 5th January 2022.