I've Been Spiked, Have You?

It has been quite alarming how many stories have transpired over the past few weeks in regards to spiking. From the video in Pryzm Bristol where a boy is seen spiking a drink ON CAMERA to the horrendous spiking injections in Edinburgh. It seems that this issue is just as prevalent as ever.

“72 per cent of drink spiking victims are women and 10 per cent are under 18 years of age”

It is so beyond terrifying that people have these intentions to not only drug you, but then take advantage of you afterwards. Not being able to remember what has happened to you against your will is petrifying.

Activist queen Mair Howells bravely came forward last year about her experience being spiked in London and has since created I’ve Been Spiked to raise awareness and create a safe space for other victims.

Inspired by Mair, I wanted to speak about my experience being spiked last year. Which happened on my second night in Milan, when I had just moved there to study. Me and Kayla were exploring the city, and enjoying some cocktails.

Suddenly two roses appeared in front of us.

Surprisingly, a young Italian woman had sent them over (lets call her Ruby). We quickly thanked her and invited her to join us at our little table in the cobbled streets, as she was sitting alone. She explained that she works on this strip of bars, which made sense as everyone seemed to know her.

She then went on to take us to her friend's bar round the corner and introduced us to two guys. We spent the night laughing with her and her friends. I rarely drink so I only drank a Mojito or two and a vodka lemon (from about 6pm-midnight).

I went in with Ruby to the bar to get another drink and I distinctly remember WAP playing (it had just come out lol) this was one of the last things I remember. When I came back out Kayla was still chatting away to Ruby’s friends, who had bought her a vodka lemonade. I was quite tired and mentioned heading back soon. The guys had just bought the drink, so she poured half into my empty cup as she didn’t want it all and we shared.

The guys kept offering to take us back to where we were living on their motorbikes, which I kept refusing seeing as we barely knew them and I am overly scared of most things. They were so insistent on taking us to their after party or to our flat. I tend to presume the worst of strangers and think everyone is out to get me (which for the first time they definitely were). They were also making such an over the top fuss of us which I thought was sus.

As two English tourists, on their second night in a country...who barely knew their own address, we were such obvious targets. It is easy to forget that not everyone is an innocent friendly face. We finally got into an uber home, after refusing their offers several times. I don’t remember the uber, or getting home.

We woke up with a horrible shock. Neither of us could move and it genuinely felt like an out of body experience. Not being able to push my body up to go to the toilet was the most bizarre sensation.

It took us both about 45 mins to be able to get up and to the toilet, where we were both sick. I remember trying to walk and just falling over, super disoriented and dizzy. As someone who doesn't drink often, it was like a super overwhelming hangover. We both felt like we had a tonne of bricks on top of us, we couldn't move our limbs and could barely communicate with each other.

We soon realised this wasn’t a hangover and we must have been spiked. With neither of us remembering the second part of the night we realised it was when we split Kayla’s drink. I’m so happy that we split that, I dread to think the state K would’ve been in if she had the whole drink to herself.

It’s so sad that someone buying you a drink is so often a sentence for abuse, rape or voilence. We thought we had made some friends, but as we looked at the night as a timeline, we started to rethink certain acts of kindness to be predatory. I can't help but think it was a routine all the way from the roses, to the final bar where the drink was spiked. It felt as if we were picked out, preyed on and violated.

We are so lucky that we got away from these guys, who clearly had other plans for us. I just wish I had their details so I could’ve told someone after or reported it. The worst aspect is knowing that it was probably a weekly routine for them. Working in a bar on a popular strip means they had constant access to people's drinks. Knowing that we were spiked by two barmen made me even more terrified, as no drink cover can prevent you from being spiked while the drink is being made. I had never really considered bar staff spiking people. You presume it is some seedy man hanging in dark corners, not the person making your drink right in front of you, but it makes a lot of sense. How do you prevent that?

This story was a lucky escape. We didn't get harmed and made it home safely, but this isn't the case for a large percentage of people. Having your basic human rights and memory taken from you is terrifying, not knowing timescales and conversations is something I never want to experience again. We were so lucky to be together and have half the dose intended.

Here are some ways you can help protect yourself on a night out: