Hertfordshire Constabulary supports National Spiking Intensification Week Campaign

This week, Hertfordshire Constabulary is supporting a National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) campaign highlighting the impact of spiking.

National figures show that between May 2022 and April 2023, the police received 6,732 reports of spiking; 153 of these reports were in Hertfordshire.

Contrary to popular belief, spiking is not just limited to slipping a drug into someone’s drink – the following examples are all within the range of behaviours that would be considered spiking, under the existing legislation:

• Putting alcohol into someone’s drink without their knowledge or permission, including adding measures to someone’s drink that they have not asked for
• Putting prescription or illegal drugs into another person’s alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink without their knowledge or permission
• Injecting another person with prescription or illegal drugs without their knowledge or permission
• Putting prescription or illegal drugs into another person's food without their knowledge or permission
• Putting prescription or illegal drugs into another person's cigarette or vape without their knowledge or permission.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Macbeth, from the Safeguarding Command, said: “Everyone has the right to enjoy a safe night out, and we work in collaboration with venues across the county to ensure that staff and visitors know the correct process to follow if they believe a spiking incident has occurred.

“Spiking, in whichever form, is a horrendous and invasive crime. While the data indicates the majority of victims are women and girls, men and boys can also be targeted.

“It is against the law and anyone who commits this crime faces up to ten years in prison. A victim does not need to be assaulted for it to constitute a crime – the simple act of adding something to a drink or injecting someone with a needle (without their knowledge or consent) is enough.

“We know that these crimes can be underreported. This can be due to a range of factors, including embarrassment, pressure from perpetrators or fear of further violence, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help, and fear of not being believed. We know it can be scary to report being spiked, but the police are here to help you: we will listen to you and take you seriously. Capturing early evidence can be key to progressing a case through the courts.”

If you believe you have been a victim of a sexual offence and do not feel comfortable speaking with police straight away, you can contact Herts SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) for practical and emotional support. The centre can arrange face-to-face support, sexual health referrals and provide forensic medical examinations for those who want them. For further information, visit hertssarc.org.

Through-out the week, we will be sharing information on personal safety initiatives, such as Hollie Guard and Ask For Angela, as well as sharing an insight in to what we do as a force to tackle spiking and how we work with local partners and businesses to ensure that those enjoying a night out in Hertfordshire can do so safely.