UK sees increase in women being ‘needle spiked’ with date rape drugs

The United Kingdom has seen a disturbing increase in women being injected with “spiked needles” filled with date rape drugs, often at nightclubs in cities with large student populations, according to reports from BBC News. 

The spate of incidents has left women in the U.K. “terrified of going out” and has spurred to a petition with 150,000 signatures asking the U.K. government to make searching guests at bars a legal requirement, the BBC reported. 

The highest number of signatures come from Nottingham, which has a large university population.

A 24-year-old woman named Hannah Thompson launched the petition after she saw the stories of women in Edinburgh, Scotland being injected with “date rape” needles and then seeing more stories of it happening throughout the U.K., BBC reports. 

Thompson has suggested metal detectors or pat downs similar to airport security to enter clubs, saying to the BBC, “I would much rather have a pat down than a needle in the back.” 

Organizations from over 30 universities in the U.K. have joined an online campaign calling for a boycott of clubs in search of “tangible” changes to make them safer for women, such as training for staff, reports the BBC.

Sarah Buckle, a 19-year-old University of Nottingham student, was among the spiking victims who spoke to the BBC. 

“One moment I was talking fine, and then I couldn’t get my words out,” she recalled of her evening on September 28. She then awoke in a hospital bed and noticed a prick on her hand where her hand was bruised and was beginning to throb. 

“How can you get your head around somebody thinking ‘I’m going to do this to them'”

Sarah Buckle woke up in hospital after a night out with no idea how she got there and believes she was spiked by injection https://t.co/HWs7xnijyp pic.twitter.com/t1fdVpOnp0

— ITV News (@itvnews) October 20, 2021

“I feel violated,” she told the BBC. “I’ve had too much to drink before and this was completely different.” 

BBC reported that Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked for police for an update on the needle-spiking incidents.

Labour MP Nadia Whittome has also been very vocal about these incidents, speaking on television and taking to Twitter to push the government to take action.

Preventing spikings shouldn’t focus on how women can protect themselves.

We have a right to go out and be safe. We shouldn’t have to change our behaviour. Even if we did, how can you prevent yourself being injected?

The problem is male violence. I spoke to @BBCNews. pic.twitter.com/JL7Kh3roXD

— Nadia Whittome MP (@NadiaWhittomeMP) October 20, 2021

“What we need to be really careful of is that this conversation doesn’t become one about what can women do and putting the responsibility on women,” Whittome said while speaking to the BBC.

“Women should be able to go out freely and enjoy themselves without fear of assault—sexual or otherwise—and this is part of a much larger problem of male violence from sexual harassment to rape.”