People Are Sharing 23 Safety Tips For Young Women Out Partying

One of the biggest threats for women out partying is drink spiking. The term refers to when a person deliberately adds alcohol or another drug to someone else’s drink, without their knowledge. Although drink spiking can have debilitating effects on a victim, the topic still doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

So Bored Panda reached out to Dr Erin Lalor, the Chief Executive Officer of The Alcohol and Drug Foundation, to find out more about drink spiking, how to prevent it and crucial things to know about helping a person who has been spiked.

Dr Lalor explained that drink spiking may occur for a variety of reasons, including pranks, or to facilitate theft or assaults (including sexual assaults). She explained that ”Nobody should ever feel like it’s their responsibility to prevent their drink being spiked” and added that “it’s never a person’s fault if their drink is spiked.”

According to Dr Lalor, there are some simple strategies people can use to try and prevent drink spiking. They included: Keeping your drink close to you and keeping a close eye on it; avoiding sharing drinks; if someone you don’t know very well offers you a drink, go to the bar with them and watch the bartender pour your drink; if you think your drink tastes weird, pour it out; buy or pour your own drinks – many people have their drinks spiked by someone they know.” Last thing to remember is to always keep an eye on your friends and their drinks.

Dr Lalor said that if your drink has been spiked, you may not be able to see, smell or taste it. “The drug or extra alcohol may be colorless and odorless and may not affect the taste of your drink.”

You want to also check for early warning signs that show that your drink may have been spiked. The victim of spiking may feel dizzy or faint, feel ill or sleepy, feel intoxicated even if they think they had a small amount of alcohol, have slowed reaction time or impaired coordination, pass out, wake up feeling uncomfortable and confused with memory blanks about the night before.

Dr Lalor argues that “You know your body better than anyone, so trust your instincts.” According to her, if you feel like your drink has been spiked, you can do any of the following: “Ask someone you trust to take you to the nearest hospital. In an emergency, call for an ambulance or ask someone to call for you.”

Moreover, if you’re not out with people you trust, talk to one of the venue staff or security. Dr Lalor’s advice is to ask your doctor to test for the presence of drugs. “Urine or blood tests can pick up traces of certain drugs up to 24 hours later, however some drugs leave the body quickly and can’t be detected within this timeframe,” she said.

Another step is to report the incident to police and/or the venue where the incident occurred since “this can help venue owners and/or police understand drink spiking trends,” Dr Lalor explained. It’s also important to consider speaking with a trusted friend or health professional about your experience.

“Sadly, some people might not want to report drink spiking incidents because they are worried others won’t believe them, or they think they will be blamed for what happened, especially if they were already drinking or taking other drugs,” Dr Lalor explained.

According to her, the more we talk about drink spiking, the more we can help reduce stigma surrounding it. “This can encourage other people to come forward, knowing that they will be taken seriously,” she concluded.