Home Affairs Committee report into spiking
- News
Police CPI welcomes the Home Affairs Committee and Government response report into spiking, published on 4th July, recommending that staff should receive similar training to that provided by Licensing SAVI.
Mark Morgan, Business Lead for Licensing SAVI said: “We wholly agree upon a victim-first approach and that effective partnerships are key to tackling spiking and are working tirelessly with a number of other organisations to support and implement further recommendations detailed within the report.
“We have been working with the National Police Chiefs Council and Home Office to support venues in tackling the recent spiking trend and have written good practice guides for venues and customers. We’re producing posters with the Night Time Industries Association in preparing for the return of students in September, to promote awareness of how staff at licensed premises can support victims and prevent spiking.
“We’ve also worked with the National Crime Agency behavioural scientists to develop offender focused posters and digital screen displays, targeting those most likely to cause harm and rightly not having any form of victim blaming culture. These materials have also evolved for use by festivals / outdoor events and are available in both English and Welsh language versions on our website Drink Spiking Posters - Free Downloadable Posters (licensingsavi.com).”
You can view the full Home Affairs Committee and Government response report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/22887/documents/168013/default/
The report also mentions Enough, the government’s communications campaign to tackle violence against women and girls. It aims to educate the public about what we can all do if we see or suspect various forms of abuse. Even small acts of recognition and support can make a difference.
Posters and guidance leaflets have been produced for staff working in a hospitality venue on how to respond if a customer is a victim of abuse. These are available to download for free here - https://www.licensingsavi.com/resources/enough-campaign
The Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI) self-assessment specifically covers the issue of drink spiking in licensed venues and gives advice on reducing risk.
Licensing SAVI is a confidential self-assessment tool designed to help the owners and operators of licensed premises provide a safe and secure environment for their managers, staff, customers and local communities. Licensing SAVI is focused on supporting those who manage and work in licensed premises to be able to undertake a ‘health check’ in relation to their operating practices and security measures, providing feedback to help improve where necessary and to accredit venues with a Police Safety Award to reflect the efforts they’ve made.
Find out more about Licensing SAVI here https://www.licensingsavi.com/