Feeling safe to socialise should be everyone’s right.
Reports of Queensland MP Brittany Lauga alleging she was drugged and sexually assaulted during a recent night out have sparked a sense of heightened risk for women visiting bars and clubs.
At a time when the nation is grappling with a crisis of gender-based violence, the community concern is understandable.
But it’s important that while we do all we can to keep women safe, we don’t overstate the risk and cause unnecessary alarm.
Data around drink spiking is not collected in any systematic way in Australia. The evidence we have is decades old and suggests it is relatively rare and that most spiking is friends pranking each other. But it can also be used to commit a crime, such as theft or sexual assault.
For those who experience this type of drink spiking, we know the impacts can be traumatic.
While it’s never the victim’s fault, or their responsibility to prevent drink spiking or sexual assault, there are some simple safety measures women and men can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to spiking.
It’s worth noting that the most common drug used in drink spiking is alcohol. A person may be given a double or triple shot when they think they are drinking a single measure. Neutral-flavoured alcohol like vodka can be added to wine or beer, or even to non-alcoholic drinks.
Be mindful of drinks that taste sharper or stronger than usual, or if you feel intoxicated more quickly than you ordinarily would. People who are less experienced with alcohol – often younger drinkers – may be more vulnerable as they are less familiar with the effects.
In theory, drinks can be spiked with any type of drug including ecstasy and speed, but the most commonly used are sedatives such as Rohypnol, GHB or ketamine, which can cause severe drowsiness and memory loss.
Some common warning signs include:
Feeling drunk despite not having drunk a lot.
Feeling dizzy, light-headed, sleepy or like you might pass out.
Feeling nauseous.
Feeling confused or disoriented.
Passing out.
Waking up with feelings of discomfort and memory blanks from the night before.
These drugs tend to be less noticeable – they’re often colourless, tasteless and odourless and they act very quickly, so you might not realise your drink has been spiked until you start feeling unwell or are too incapacitated to do anything.
That’s where venues can take a leadership role by ensuring staff apply their responsible service of alcohol training and understand the signs of drink spiking.
Important safety measures include supplying water taps rather than large water jugs, removing any unattended glasses, being vigilant to suspicious behaviour – like people buying multiple rounds of shots or requesting extra alcohol. Some bars have even stopped serving double or triple shots.
Drink spiking is a crime in every state and territory but unfortunately, it’s very difficult to police or prosecute. Toxicology tests only detect certain substances, and they can’t prove whether someone has ingested a drug intentionally or unknowingly.
If you are concerned about drink spiking on a night out, you can take a few simple precautions that will reduce risk, such as always buying your own drinks, watch them being poured and not sharing drinks.
Hold your drink in your hand rather than leave it unattended on a table or at the bar, be vigilant for anything that tastes or looks unusual and closely monitor how you’re feeling throughout the night.
Importantly, trust your instincts. You know your body better than anyone – if something doesn’t feel right, listen to your gut. If you start to feel strange or unwell, get help immediately. Talk to someone you trust or to venue staff or security. And if you think you’ve been spiked call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Finally, we can’t discuss drink spiking and sexual assault without addressing the wider role that alcohol plays in acts of gendered violence.
As Jess Hill and Prof Michael Salter point out in their white paper, Rethinking Primary Prevention, research has shown that the number of liquor outlets in your local suburb is causally related to the increased rates of violence towards women.
Last week, Hello Sunday Morning was among more than two dozen organisations in the public health and alcohol and other drug sectors to sign an open letter calling for national cabinet to enact common sense measures to regulate alcohol, including limiting outlet density, reducing trading hours and cracking down on predatory marketing.
If we want to ensure all women are safe to live their lives freely, we must also address the commercial drivers of violence.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
Nicole Lee is adjunct professor at the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University and CEO of Hello Sunday Morning
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