A student who suffered liver damage after she was spiked has said it’s about time that the issue is taken more seriously after an announcement that spiking will be made a criminal offence.
Sine , 21, a student at Cardiff University and was in a bar on a night out with friends, when she took a turn for the worse.
She spoke to CJS News about the “scary” ordeal and the moment realised she had been spiked.
“We were sat close to this group of men next to us and one of them dropped something in my drink and I didn’t know”.
“My friends took me home and luckily I was okay and passed out there . I woke up the next day feeling really sick”.
“It was something that I didn’t think would happen to me, like I heard stories but I didn’t think”.
According to data from the National Police Chiefs’ council 80% of most spiking incidents happen in public spaces such as bars or night clubs.
Sine says that she spent a lot her time warning her friends that it could happen to anyone.
What is changing in the law?
The UK government said spiking could carry a ten year prison sentence as part of the Crime and Policing Bill which was introduced to Parliament on Tuesday as part of the new law a nationwide training programme will be rolled out to spot and prevent attacks.
“I think it’s a good start and I am surprised that it hasn’t happened sooner, especially with the extreme spiking cases in the last few years everywhere across the UK” said Sine.
She says that despite the bill being introduce, the problem needs to be taken more seriously.
Dawn Dines, the CEO of Stamp Out Spiking, said, “This bill will create a positive impact on encouraging victims – especially of spiking – to come forward, to report, clearly indicating that offending is not acceptable and will have severe consequences.”