Shit hit the fan two weeks ago when my friend’s drink got spiked in one of the most lively hotspots in Mayfair, London. Classy place, amazing vibes, and friendly faces – you’ll find us there when we have something to celebrate. Little did I know that the night would end in an ambulance in awe of how it all spiraled out of control. Eyes rolling, a whole lot vom.com, face snow-white and slurred speech is what stands out to me when I recall that night. No amount of splashing my friend’s face with water, saying I was going to call her mumma, or face slapping would make her responsive. For real, shout out to the emergency services because thank f*ck I did not have to desperately recollect my faded First-Aid qualification from 2010 and practice CPR – they did an amazing job!
Drink spiking often referred to as date rape drugs, although they are not always used for sexual assault is not something restricted to the ladies. Back in my university days in Miami, I had a few male friends who ended up in the emergency room following a night out and someone slip slippinggg a certain something into their red cup. Nor gender specific, this is also not something that is limited to clubs and bars – it can happen almost everywhere. It makes me sick to my stomach that this happens and some people resort to these measures for personal satisfaction. I am fully aware that this one blog post is not going to change the scene and stop this horrendous act from happening. However, even if I can help one person from being a victim through raising awareness, this blog was worth it. My aim is to raise mindfulness, so here are a few tips to avoid this potentially life threatening situation.
- Do not accept drinks from strangers. As a woman who has enjoyed bar culture, I understand that people are going to offer you drinks. Make it a straight up NO! You don’t know what the eff is in there, and you do not want to end up in some random’s house or another potentially hazardous situation. I read too many horror stories about young ladies blacking out and the night sadly becoming a tragedy they will never forget. This is the raw reality of the risk you are putting yourself, in so do not accept drinks.
- Observant to the fact that some of you may not listen to me, if you are going to accept drinks, accompany the person offering to the bar or watch the drink being poured. Showing that you are attentive may put them off from being an absolute devil.
- Do not leave your drinks hanging around and most importantly, cover them with your palm – yeah for real, I do not care how stupid I may look doing this! The video of the girl taking a video at a US festival, oblivious to a predator spiking her drink took the internet by storm and shocked the world (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njb9OLxXXwg). This takes me back to my initial point that drink spiking can happen anywhere, and at any time and it for this reason why it is so important to stay alert. Keep those cups covered…
- Keep your eyes and ears open! Your gut will never lie to you and deep down you know if something suspicious is going down. If this is the case, get out of the situation ASAP! However, do remember that most people are very well experienced in this malicious act, so stay tune with your surroundings.
I remain grateful that my friend had trusted friends around her who had her best interests at heart. The thought of her being alone or with strangers in that position gives me mere shivers. Keep your circle close on a night out, keep alert, and be sure to keep these tips in mind!