Essex officers working with partners to raise awareness of spiking

“Report it to the police if you have been spiked or think you might have been."

That’s the message from a woman who was the victim of spiking two years ago when she was on a night out in North Essex.

“I was only 18 at the time and out for the evening with my cousin. I became very unwell very quickly and I had only had one or two drinks.
"It was such a shock. Luckily, I had someone with me who looked after me and got me to safety. I don’t remember anything about the evening and that is quite scary.
"The one thing I wish I had done was report it to the police. I think it’s so important not to be ashamed or embarrassed.
"The quicker we tell the police what has happened, the better chance they have of getting the evidence they need to catch those responsible.”

The 20-year-old student, who lives in Essex, shared her experience this week to mark national Spiking Intensification Week which runs from 16 – 22 September 2024.

Officers across Essex will be working with partners to tackle spiking with a host of activities across the week.

We will be linking in with licensed venues and organisations in the night-time economy to help safeguard people on their nights out, deploying a range of tactics to prevent and identify offending.

And with this month signalling the start of freshers’ week, where students get introduced to university life, officers will focus on raising awareness of spiking within the student community.

Chief Inspector Paul Hogben, the force’s tactical lead for spiking, said:

“We work all year round to tackle spiking, to keep people safe and ensure they enjoy their night out in Essex.
"We know the county has great venues and the vast majority people go out and have a great time, but it’s vital that people are equipped with the right information about spiking to not only deter and prevent offences from occurring, but also encourage people to report any issues to us.
"Freshers’ week is coming up later this month and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students during this time is a top priority for us.
"That’s why we will be stepping up patrols, sharing information and advice and carrying out covert operations. We want people to recognise the signs and feel empowered to report it to us if they feel they, or a friend, has been a victim.”

Throughout this week officers will be out and about in the night-time economy with partners from across the county to help keep people safe.

We will also be holding education and engagement events with universities and colleges to raise awareness and equip students with key information. 

Call 999 or 101 to report it to the police. We need to know about every possible spiking so we can investigate, even if no other crime has taken place. If you are out in a bar or club, you can report to a member of staff, who will be able to help and support you.

If you are injured or have symptoms you are worried about after being spiked, call NHS 111.

If you think you’ve been sexually assaulted, you can go to your nearest sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for specialist care and support. At a SARC you can receive a medical or forensic examination (whether or not you decide to report to the police).

If you’ve been affected by crime and you need confidential support or information, you can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.

If police feel it’s appropriate, they will take a non-invasive urine sample. Some drugs leave the body in a very short time (within 12 hours), so it’s important to test as soon as possible. Other drugs remain in the body longer, so testing will be considered up to seven days after the incident.

The test the police use is the most effective way of finding out whether you have been spiked.

If you are tested in a hospital or by your GP, you will need to also have a police test, as this is what can be used as evidence to support charges or convictions.

If you tell the police how much you have drunk and whether you have voluntarily taken drugs, we will be able to provide a more accurate result.

It is not a crime to have illegal drugs in your system (unless you are driving), so please don’t let this stop you reporting spiking.

The test results will come back in three weeks and will be discussed with you.
For more information on spiking