Lara Sammé
Will we ever be able to truly escape the danger of being spiked? The normalisation of being spiked, or knowing someone who has, is alarming, especially with the move from drinks being spiked, to our bodies being injected with illegal unknown substances. How can one possibly escape a small needle in a club? Lara Sammé explores how spiking has impacted the lives of those closest to her.
Within weeks, two of my closest friends were spiked, one by a needle the other in her drink. I boycotted going out clubbing for a considerable amount of time, suggesting other nights out or even nights in. Being spiked doesn’t just leave an anxious mark on your body for a few days. It leaves an eternal print. It leaves the recurring question of who will be next out of the girls – and what if it’s me?
When travelling back to Nottingham from a tennis match, I asked my teammates on the train whether they knew anyone who had been spiked. All three answered yes. One of my teammates, who’s in her third year, said she was more anxious now than she used to be; in 2021, nightclubs in Nottingham used to provide drinks with covers on them. This surprised my other first year teammate and I, as the nightclubs that we have been to while in first-year definitely don’t cover drinks.
The dismissive nature of such people, especially those whose responsibility it is to help us, can cause a fear surrounding speaking up if and when we need help
My teammate went on to tell us how disturbing the night was when her friend was spiked:
“Her behaviour immediately changed, and she fell on me. We had to carry her out of the club. We tried to get an Uber, but the Uber driver wouldn’t let us in, as he thought my friend was too drunk. So we took her to the volunteer first-aider at the nightclub who was very dismissive,” she described.
“He started saying, “Don’t start claiming she’s been spiked, how many drinks has she had?” My friend was in a hysterical state – we couldn’t calm her down. We eventually called an ambulance, who later confirmed she had in fact been spiked.”
The dismissive nature of such people, especially those whose responsibility it is to help us, can cause a fear surrounding speaking up if and when we need help. If we believe we have been spiked, but those around us believe we’re just “too drunk”, how can we trust that we are going to be taken seriously?
In comparison to my teammates story, one of my best friends was spiked by a needle injection. She reported this incident, yet the policewoman was also despairingly dismissive. My friend declared she’s been physically and emotionally impacted in the long term by this incident, stating that she felt “guilty that the police dismissed it despite physical proof”. She said that she was also “really angry at the way the police responded.”
Being spiked not only impacts the victim, but also the family and friends who are overwhelmed with worry
Furthermore, my other friend, who helped escort my spiked friend to A&E, described that “getting into A&E made me feel that somewhat of a burden had been lifted” – but alas this didn’t last. She said that “instead of concern, we were met with what could only be described as apathetic ignorance, progressing into a 16 hour wait for even the most basic of tests to be done.”
Being spiked not only impacts the victim, but also the family and friends who are overwhelmed with worry. My friend believed she should have been more alert, describing that she had a “prevailing feeling of guilt”. She felt that she “should have done something”, and was hit with “the ominous realisation that in that moment I was powerless.”
“I felt pathetic,” she said. “How could I have let this happen? More eerily still, the thought sat low piercing me in my gut that it could’ve been me.” The emotional turmoil which friends of victims who have been spiked must endure is heart-breaking, particularly the thought of them believing the incident to be their fault, their responsibility.
The most alarming aspect to me was that this was a student night. The fact that my friend was spiked by another student made me feel sick. My friend recounted that it was a group of guys who had walked past her, like a pack injuring their prey. It made me wonder whether this group of guys were just spiking girls for entertainment, or whether the needle had been used before on other victims within the club.
What was meant to be an exciting and enjoyable night, turned into the next few days being hellish
Spiking is now not only the disgusting act of trying to kidnap someone and take them home. It’s expanded into a game – who can spike the most people in the club and not get caught?
My friend has been brutally impacted, altering her university experience permanently. What was meant to be an exciting and enjoyable night, turned into a hellish next few days. In A&E, my friend received a number of jabs as well as being prescribed prophylactic HIV medication (post-exposure prophylaxis medication is extremely important in preventing HIV infection, yet only if taken within 72 hours of exposure).
When I asked my friend how she felt physically, she responded with: “My body was weak and I was extremely tired. My prophylactic HIV medication is now causing horrible gut health, which further causes my skin to break out. I have itchy hives and the HIV medication makes me feel nauseous.” To add to all of these post-spiking symptoms, my friend has been having ongoing appointments for more jabs and various tests.
“University is meant to be a brilliant experience, full of fun and laughter. That’s been taken away from me”
It’s definitely difficult to escape the anxiety surrounding the issue. My friend described that she’s more paranoid and anxious now about going on a night out. “I don’t drink much, I wear long sleeves, I’m constantly looking around,” she said. “These all don’t seem like big deals. One might say it’s good that I’m drinking less, but one should also remember that university is meant to be a brilliant experience, full of fun and laughter. That’s been taken away from me by someone I didn’t even know. I’m also paranoid about my friends, and the fear that they may go through the same.”
I pity anyone who believes they have the right to spike someone, the idea that they take pleasure in inserting pain and prolonged distress. Ultimately, this is a sad reflection of our society today. Being spiked or knowing someone who has been spiked is traumatic, given the potential serious consequences involved. Students must support one another on nights out. So look out for your friends, enjoy your night, but be aware of your surroundings.
Lara Sammé
Featured image courtesy of Maor Attias via Pexels. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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