25 Oct 2019
Stay safe on campus – drink spiking
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be focusing on a range of issues to help you stay safe and secure on campus. Loughborough’s a great place to study and work and we want to keep it that way for everyone.
To kick start our campaign we’re focusing on drink spiking.
When you’re out at the Union or at a bar or club off campus, it can sometimes be easy to forget about your drink or to take a drink from someone else. But would you always know who’s had access it to it or what they might have put in it?
Someone might spike your drink for a variety of reasons – to make you more vulnerable to sexual violence, because it’s part of a joke or they think it’s fun. Drink spiking can have a massive impact on the health and wellbeing of those whose drinks have been spiked. And it is a crime, which can result in criminal charges.
The best advice is to never leave your drink unattended. Don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know or you don’t trust, or if it doesn’t feel right to.
It’s also important to be able to recognise the signs that your drink has been spiked and to know how to help someone you suspect has been subject to drink spiking.
The effects of drink spiking vary depending on what substance has been used. Your symptoms could include:
- Lowered inhibitions
- Loss of balance
- Visual problems
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Vomiting
- Convulsions
- Unconsciousness
If you have any of the effects above or feel more drunk than you would usually, ask for help straight away.
Call someone you trust or ask the venue staff for help. If you need urgent help, call 999 and explain your symptoms – you may need treatment from Accident and Emergency.
If one of your friends is showing any of these signs, here are some things you can do to help:
- Tell a member of staff at the venue
- Stay with them and keep talking to them
- Call an ambulance if their condition deteriorates
- Don’t let them go home on their own
- Don’t let them leave the venue with someone you don’t know or trust or with someone who seems overly keen to intervene
- If possible, try and prevent them drinking more alcohol as this could lead to more serious problems
Further information on drink spiking is available on the Drink Aware website.
Support, advice and guidance is also available through the following services at Loughborough:
Student Services, T: 01509 222765, E: studentservices@lboro.ac.uk
University security, T: 01509 222141, E: gatehouse@lboro.ac.uk