Stamp Out Spiking to conduct the UK’s largest spiking research project in association with Cardiff University

Stamp Out Spiking are undertaking the largest and most comprehensive spiking research project to ever be done across the UK.

Dawn Dines and the team at Stamp Out Spiking have been campaigning against spiking for nearly 20 years and conducted a smaller survey of 368 participants in 2021 where they found that 97.64% of victims did not report being spiked to the police.

The Stamp Out Spiking team decided to conduct this survey after Freedom of Information requests to police forces across the country, highlighted that there was no clear understanding of the true scale of the crime. The reason for this is that police forces, if a spiking incident is reported to them, report in different ways, this spearheaded the campaign to update the law.

Dawn Dines was joined by many different organisations, including the SIA, Licencing, Night-time economy industries all provided evidence at Westminster to the Home Affairs Select Committee about the need for spiking to have its own specific criminal offence code, yet the government has not taken action.

This research project, called ‘A Victim’s Journey’, will cover every step of the journey from the drugs that are used, where and when spiking occurred, symptoms of being spiked, the immediate response and the impact that this then has on mental and physical health after the event.

The project is being designed by the Stamp Out Spiking team in collaboration with Cardiff University’s Security, Crime and Intelligence Institute.

Simon Moore, Professor of Public Health Research, Co-Director of the Security, Crime and Intelligence Innovation Institute and Director of Violence Research Group at Cardiff University said: “The ongoing debate around the provenance of spiking undermines recognition of the very significant harm that some are exposed to. I support the work of Stamp Out Spiking, only through improving our understanding of the circumstances that give rise to harm are we able to find innovative solutions that protect all those affected.”

Stamp out Spiking have also taken advice from victims of spiking, as well as professionals such as Janine Jackson, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the South Wales University and Mihir Rajesh Solanki, Masters Student of Statistical Data Analysis at Exeter University.

Dawn Dines, CEO and Founder of Stamp Out Spiking said: “We feel that it is vital to gather key information on the victim’s journey, to highlight areas of high concern. We know historically that victims of this cowardly crime have been let down and by conducting a study on this scale, we will bring these victims some justice.” Most importantly it will safeguard future victims and adequately train emergency services to deal with this crime”.

Sacha Lord - Night Time Economy Advisor Greater Manchester - who has been an integral partner in the campaign to change the law on spiking said: “It is credit to Dawn Dines and the many girls and women of Universities across the whole of the UK who brought it to both mine and Andy Burnhams attention. We have worked closely with students at Manchester University, to help and push for spiking to become a specific criminal offence. The work to be undertaken now, by Cardiff University, will no doubt benefit many and make a further step into making a safe night out for all. Today’s announcement mustn’t be underestimated; it’s a significant step in the right direction; and a strong message.”

Michael Kill CEO NTIA commented: "The Night Time Industries Association, Stamp Out Spiking and Sacha Lord have worked tirelessly to ensure that people who work and socialise at night, can do so safely and without fear of crime. We recognize from the Home Affairs Committee report on spiking that we have a considerable shortcoming in terms of data, and as an industry should lead the way in gaining a greater understanding of who, when and where these crimes take place within society. Armed with this data, we are then able to tackle the perpetrators of these crimes more effectively."

Stamp Out Spiking’s National Survey can be found here:  A Victim's Journey

Stamp Out Spiking’s petition to stop spiking from being an invisible offence can be found on Change.Org here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-spiking-being-an-invisible-offence 

 Stamp Out Spiking’s public awareness video about the ongoing epidemic of drink spiking can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjEBaZzjqWw&feature=emb_imp_woyt