Given the nearly 5,000 reported cases of spiking in the past year, a member of parliament in Greater Manchester has called for it to be made a crime.
In a debate at Westminster on Wednesday, Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton East and Shadow Women and Equalities Minister, voiced her concern over the growing number of victims of the terrifying trend.
She announced after it was revealed that in the last twelve months, there were more than 50 reported cases of spiking in her constituency of Bolton alone, and hence roughly five people per month.
Spiking is a practice that has been around for a long time and is against the law. It is currently illegal under multiple statutes, including the Offenses Against the Person Act and the Sexual Offences Act.
There has been an increase in reports, mostly from women and girls but also from homosexual men, prompting activists to demand that the act be treated as a crime in its own right.
The National Police Chiefs Council reports a sharp increase in spiking incidents in Greater Manchester beginning in September 2021, with nearly 5,000 reported nationwide during the same time (NPCC).
Home Affairs Select Committee published a report in April 2022 detailing survey results showing that 72% of all spiking victims are unwilling to report the incident, and 84% of victims said they did not receive support after the initial spiking.
Ms Qureshi made the following remarks at Westminster Hall: “I know two people who have had their drinks spiked. One of those incidents occurred in the 90s, so this is not a new problem. It has been in existence for a very long time; it just has not had the attention that we are now giving it.
“It is important to make this a crime. It will not be the complete solution to the problem of spiking – other things need to be done – but it is a vital start, to ensure that this is criminalised.”
“Once it becomes a crime, it will be recorded properly, and we will have a better picture of the extent of spiking. We all know about the incidents that occur in universities, and it is something that people are so vulnerable to.
“One of the two people I know who have been subject to spiking said that she felt so paralytic and so unwell that she was very grateful she had friends with her, and the bouncers in the nightclub were exceptionally good and helped her. I urge the Minister to make this a crime as soon as possible.”
The M.E.N recently reported that many women and girls in Greater Manchester had been traumatised after being spiked in the city’s bars and clubs, prompting these new calls for action.
Many young women in 2021 panicked and decided to stop going to nightclubs for several weeks due to a disturbing new trend in which victims reported being spiked by injection or with needles.
A student who reportedly got spiked at a club on Deansgate Locks in Manchester detailed the traumatic experience of visiting a sexual health clinic to discuss the possibility of taking preventative HIV medication.
In 2021, Claudia Laing, then 19, reported being spiked at 42nd Street, a nightclub in the heart of Manchester. She said she felt “paralysed.” Her companions took her to the emergency room, where she was given water and kept under observation until 8 a.m. when she was finally allowed to leave.
Earlier this year, three young women fell ill at Ark, a popular nightclub on Deansgate Locks, prompting police to launch a separate investigation. A girl who didn’t want to be identified said she thought the date rape drug GHB had been mixed into her vodka Red Bull.
Ms Qureshi has since written to all Bolton East bars and restaurants that have a liquor licence, urging them to participate in Ask for Angela training.
During an interview following the debate, Ms Qureshi said “Whilst spiking affects both men and women, it disproportionately impacts women and girls. Categorising this as a separate crime will go a long way to understanding the true scale of this crime and will help the police to implement real, evidence-based strategies to address this epidemic.
“We need to see the Government listening to victims and stakeholders and acting quickly, rather than obfuscating and dancing around the matter. Local Councils, police forces, and licensed institutions need to be given a framework through which to adequately deal with this crisis.”
The Home Office claims to have concluded that there is currently a need to make spiking a specific criminal offence in the UK despite the widespread nature of the practice.
The official spokesperson stated: “We have always been clear that spiking is a serious offence which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Working closely with colleagues across government and law enforcement, we have carefully examined the existing legislation, and have concluded that there is no gap in the law a new spiking offence would fill.”
“However, we recognise that there is more to do to ensure clarity around what spiking is and how it should be reported. That is why we will be undertaking a targeted consultation on amending statutory licencing guidance which could include explicit reference to spiking, including its definition, examples and signposts to resources.”
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