Drink Spiking of Students

Yes I am aware of this , a very worrying issue! ' children' leave for university and are very vulnerable, away from home and often feel insecure. This may lead to them lowering their guard. I don't think there is sufficient support/ warning for first year students. Two of our AC had a difficult time in university, both did well eventually but only after coming home !!! Our eldest loved it. On reflection I now realize that university was not necessarily the correct place for them . Your GD is very wise thanks to her cousin . I had no idea about this when they left for university, they have children of their own now one is 18 and was due to go this year . She has deferred for a year and has enrolled on an HND course . The older I get the more I realize there is more than one way to skin a cat !!!! It is not just the spiked drinks that worry me it is simply that students leave home ill equipped for student life. Perhaps in our case it was our fault!? One of our children had personal problems were were unaware of at the time. Thankfully all resolved now and both are happy and content. I am sure your GD will be much more aware than my children were - it's another generation!!! They are much more aware of the dangers than my children were .

Nothing new unfortunately, I can remember going out in my late teens and being warned never to leave a drink unattended or never except a drink you hadn’t seen poured by bar staff. House parties bring a whole other set of problems.

I think most people of all ages are aware of this.

I think part of the problem is that this year's intake have lost out on the social aspects of the last two years and the time to assimilate the experience that others take for granted.
Were drugs like rohypnol a thing when you were a teenager GG13? I certainly don't remember that when I was at university.
These are not isolated incidences.

Spiking drinks is widely regarded as “sport” at parties and clubs they have to be on their guard all the time, young men as well as women. It is worse now, drinking “shots” then throwing up is not my idea of fun but is very common at parties, followed by a monster hangover.

Have people read the Guardian link of spiking by injection?

Mamie I was a teenager in the 70’s there were ‘drugs galore’ in and around London.

Not sure about Rohypnol being used.

My son at 18 went out with friends in our home town, it was a farewell as he was going off to India to work.

He came home with a friend in a very bad way, with no memory of the evening, he was very ill and of course we assumed he’d taken drugs!

It turned out about 20 men had had their drinks spiked in the club they were in that evening.

It’s not just girls it happens to.

I have read the link , a shocking report !!

Oh sure GG13 at university in the late sixties there were plenty of drugs around - but a "date rape' drug in a drink? I don't think so.

I agree with GG13. When I was a teenager in the 70s my Dad used to say keep an eye on your drink you dont want anyone slipping you a Micky Finn. There were loads of drugs around then.

Same here teenager in 1970's, I had a chum who ended up with a serious Drug problem. Very academic girl, lovely family heading for Uni, ended up being done for Prostitution.
And recently my Niece and her friend had their bottle of wine spiked in a local pub, she was really unwell after told the Police as this was happening under thier noses but they couldn't do anything about it. Treated it as, okay it happens, made her feel like a silly girl.
She was in her late 30's and a senior school teacher.
This can happen to anyone.

Mamie I think that Rohypnol has been around for many many years, under different names and guises. Using syringes is nothing new (I know a nurse who in her student days was subject to something akin to date rape drug after accepting a date with a junior Dr. in the 70’s)

Each generation think they are the first to discover the world and it’s ills/pleasures, but it’s all been done before, just now it’s all out in the open.

My GS had his drink spiked and ended up in A &E. Lucky for him his friend found him collapsed and phoned his mum.
He was taken to hospital and was unconscious and on drips for 12 hours.
People who spike drinks should realise it's not funny and could be fatal.

The problem seems to me GG13 that across society there is still a level of victim blaming going on. This isn't really about the fact that "things like this have always happened and you have to be careful". I think we all know that. We avoided the wrong sort of pubs and clubs, we didn't go out alone at night, we carried rape alarms etc etc.
But this isn't just about people having to protect themselves. It is about how as a society, you tackle anti-social, unnacceptable behaviour.
This is about young people being unsafe in an environment in which they should be able to feel secure.

I had my drink spiked about 10/15 years ago. So weird. I don't think I was a real target, plus was with a group of friends who I went home with although I do remember talking to some vaguely dodgy bloke for a bit.

Not nice. Vague memories of bits of the walk home, no memory of going to bed (friends house). Very sick the next day. It didn't even occur to me for ages that my drink had been spiked, but I never drink much and it is the only time it's ever happened. I realised after reading a report on drink spiking.

I'm also convinced a friend had her drink spiked while out with me. We were overseas in a very swanky rooftop bar and she disappeared when she went for the loo. After about 20 minutes, I went to look for her and found her staggering, trying to pull her arm away from a bloke who looked to be pulling her towards the door. She was so out of it, she had to come back to my hotel with me. We laugh about it now, but it was a scary occurence.

This has been around for years. I remember being in clubs and having to be careful. Perhaps depends on where in the country you are. I grew up in a rough working class town.

I badgered my children to death about this when they went out. Keep your drink with you all the time. If you have to leave it for any reason, get another.

Same old stuff, just new generation.

It would be interesting to hear responses from people whose grandchildren are undergraduates at the moment.

This is the response from one university.
"When you see inappropriate behaviour from other men, challenge it – call out your peers and friends when they are being misogynistic or degrading of women;
Keep your distance - don’t walk behind women in the dark; cross the road and give them some space;
Offer to walk female friends home;
Be an example for other men in your behaviour;
If you’re concerned that someone may have been spiked, speak to venue staff if you are in a club, stay with the individual and keep talking to them and call an ambulance."

It would be good to hear about what other universities are doing.

Years ago I remember commenting to DD1 that I didn’t like her drinking (her cider/lager whatever) from the bottle when out. She assured me it was the only way to avoid having a drink spiked, as you kept hold of the bottle and placed your thumb over the top between taking drinks. Once empty, it could be put down, but never before.

I think the latest thing is girls being spiked by a needle and given drugs by injection. Girls have started wearing denim jackets etc as it's harder for the needle to penetrate. It's a scary world out there for women

It’s important that women are made aware of the dangers and how to avoid them, but I think it’s equally important that men are taught to respect women and not engage in this sort of behaviour.

Mamie

Have people read the Guardian link of spiking by injection?

It was on the lunch-time news, Mamie

Shocking.

It’s important that women are made aware of the dangers and how to avoid them, but I think it’s equally important that men are taught to respect women and not engage in this sort of behaviour.

Yes, I agree absolutely, Blossoming.
There has always been a laddish culture around, but I do not understand the total disrespect for women (and girls) that seems to be prevalent amongst so many young men today.

Glad it has made the news Callistemon. The boys in my GDs flat come out immediately if the girls need help, but it shouldn't have to be like that.
I think it needs a concerted effort by the universities too.

It’s not just young women who have their drinks spiked though. Have any of you been in a town/city centre in the evenings and seen how groups of females behave?

I do wonder if this party at any cost attitude has anything to do with being in some form of lockdown for upwards of 18 months?

Are you saying that women are to blame for being spiked GG13?