Understanding drink spiking and needling experiences and reporting in the UK

Abstract Drink spiking has received increasing public and media interest in the United Kingdom (UK), particularly following reports of needle spiking in 2021. Despite growing concern, incidents remain under-reported due to psychological and physical barriers, resulting in low prosecution and conviction rates. Here we report findings from analyses of ‘The Drinkaware Monitor’ surveys conducted by the Drinkaware Charity in 2022 and 2023 comprising of responses from 6,318 and 10,473 UK participants respectively. The evaluation examines understanding of drink and needle spiking, experiences, reporting behaviours and the impact of incidents across the wider sample including among demographic groups such as ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ participants. The findings reveal gaps in awareness and reporting, across gender, gender identity, sexuality and ethnicity differences in victimisation and experienced crimes, and the enduring psychological impact of drugging experiences. Notably, acquaintances emerge as the primary perpetrators of spiking incidents, with variations observed among ethnic minority respondents. In light of these findings, urgent action is required to address the underreporting and misconceptions surrounding drink spiking and needling incidents, with a focus on enhancing public awareness and support mechanisms.