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Needle spiking

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Not to be confused with Drink spiking.

Needle spiking (also called injection spiking) is a phenomenon initially reported in the UK and Ireland where people have reported themselves subjected to surreptitious injection of unidentified sedative drugs, usually in a crowded environment such as the dancefloor of a nightclub, producing symptoms typical of date rape drugs.

No verified toxicological results have been published showing the presence of known incapacitating agents in alleged victims; the prevalence of genuine cases is unknown and has been controversial, with experts expressing doubts as to how easily such injections could be carried out without it being immediately obvious to the victim and attributing the reports to hysteria.[1][2][3][4][5] Dr Emmanuel Puskarczyk, head of the poison control centre at the Centre hospitalier régional et universitaire de Nancy, when noting the absence of objective proof has stated that the administration of a substance would require several seconds meaning that the recipient would likely notice at the time.[6]

A Home Affairs Committee Report noted a lack of motive in respect of needle spiking. In 692 recorded incidents there was only one claimed further offence of sexual offending or robbery. [7]

Reports

UK

56 reported claims of spiking by injection were recorded in September and October 2021.[8] In Nottingham, where 15 reports of needle spiking were made in October, police identified only one case where a victim's injury "could be consistent with a needle".[9] In November that year, there followed reports in Brighton and Eastbourne;[10] and it was reported that two women alleged they had been spiked with needles inside a Yorkshire nightclub.[11] In Northern Ireland, the PSNI began an investigation after a woman believed she was spiked with a needle in Omagh on 6 November 2021.[12]

In December 2021, Nottinghamshire Police Service had received 146 reports of suspected needle spiking. Nine arrests were made but no suspects were subsequently charged.[13] VICE News were informed by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) of 274 reported cases between September-November 2021 in the UK. The NPCC said that no cases of injection of drugs had been confirmed, and that there was one confirmed case of "needle-sticking", involving someone being jabbed, but not necessarily injected, with a needle; investigations were continuing to determine whether the needle contained any spiking drugs.[14]

Despite the allegations, there has not been a single prosecution from needle spiking in the UK. Furthermore, experts from the scientific and academic community have claimed the likelihood of being spiked by injection is extremely unlikely. Prof Adam Winstock, a trained consultant psychiatrist from the Global Drugs Survey, explained that “Needles have to be inserted with a level of care […] The idea these things can be randomly given through clothes in a club is just not that likely."[15]

France

Since the summer of 2021, over 100 cases of needle spiking have been reported in French nightclubs.[16] In May 2022, the Ministry of the Interior commented that it had found the majority of those reporting incidents had been injected with something; their spokesman said, "Too often the absence of traces detected cannot be interpreted as the absence of an injection, but as sampling too late."[16]

Ireland

In Ireland, the Garda Síochána carried out multiple needle spiking investigations in October and November 2021.[17] The first known report of claimed needle spiking in Ireland was on 27 October 2021, when a woman claimed she was spiked with a needle in a Dublin nightclub.[18]

Belgium

There has been an incident of needle spiking of football supporters in May 2022 during a match between KV Mechelen and Racing Genk. Fourteen soccer fans from the same section of the stadium felt a prick and subsequently became unwell.[19]

Also in May 2022, in the city of Hasselt (Limburg), twenty-four youngsters became unwell at teen festival We R Young after what is thought to be an incident of needle spiking. There is still debate as to whether this may have been an incident of group panic happening. [20]

Germany

In May 2022, Australian musician Zoé Zanias of Linea Aspera claimed she was attacked in a needle-spiking at the Berghain nightclub in Berlin, suffering from respiratory depression and an unwanted "psychedelic" experience as a result.[21][22]

Spain

As of summer 2022, the Spanish police have registered 23 cases in Catalonia and 12 in the Basque Country. No traces of drugs were detected and there were no cases of related sexual violence. [23]

Switzerland

On 13 August 2022 the Street Parade, a large open air rave event with hundreds of thousands of participants, took place in Zurich. A total of 8 female attendees contacted first aid services claiming needle spiking attacks. One of the victims, a 16 year old woman, was allegedly spiked 14 times.[24]

Australia

On April 24, 2022, a woman claimed she was spiked at a Melbourne nightclub.[6]

Social media claims

Claims of spiking by injection have been propagated on social media, alongside other claims of drink spiking.[25][26][27]

Reactions

Concerns have been raised by campaigners, politicians and student bodies.[25] In October 2021 it was reported that British home secretary Priti Patel had requested police forces investigate the alleged incidents.[9] In December that year, the Home Affairs Select Committee launched a new inquiry into spiking, including needle spiking, and the effectiveness of the police response to it.[28]

In Ireland, Young Fine Gael drafted a bill, which Fine Gael members introduced in Seanad Éireann in July 2023, "to provide for the specific offence of spiking characterised by the administration, injection, or causation of the taking orally of a substance, knowing that the person to whom the substance is administered, injected, or caused to be taken does not consent, or being reckless as to whether the person consents, and where the perpetrator intends to overpower or sedate the person, to engage in a sexual act, cause harm, make a gain or cause a loss, or otherwise commit an offence."[29]

Boycotts and tougher checks

In response, a number of women from university cities decided to boycott nightclubs for "girls' nights in".[30][31] Campaigners also called on nightclubs to impose tougher checks on entry; an online petition on the issue was considered by Parliament on 4 November 2021, where it was decided no changes to the law should be made.[8][32]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ng K. Needle Spiking: What is it and why is it happening? The Independent, 21 October 2021
  2. ^ Brown L, Rahman-Jones I. Injection spiking: How likely is it? BBC News, 22 October 2021
  3. ^ Specia M, Kwai I. ‘Needle Spiking’ of Women in Britain Stirs Alarm Over New Kind of Assault. The New York Times, 25 October 2021
  4. ^ Gallagher C. Gardaí investigate claim woman ‘spiked’ in nightclub with needle. The Irish Times, 27 October 2021
  5. ^ Francis E. Reports of ‘needle spiking’ in Britain drive young women, students to boycott bars. The Washington Post, 29 October 2021
  6. ^ a b "Terrifying trend takes hold as clubgoers fall victim to 'needle spiking'". 7NEWS. 3 June 2022.
  7. ^ Author: Home Affairs Committee, Related inquiry: Spiking, Date Published: 26 April 2022
  8. ^ a b Brooks, Libby (27 October 2021). "Women boycott UK bars and clubs to demand action on drink-spiking". The Guardian.
  9. ^ a b "Nottinghamshire Police investigate 15 reports of needle spiking". BBC News. 21 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Brighton and Eastbourne spiking: Three men arrested". BBC News. 2 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Clubbers kept inside nightclub for hours by police after girls 'spiked with needles'". The Independent. 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18.
  12. ^ Leebody, Christopher (10 November 2021). "PSNI investigating Omagh needle spiking incident targeting woman". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Nottinghamshire Police receive 146 needle spiking reports". BBC News. 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  14. ^ "274 Reports But Zero Confirmed Cases: What We Know About 'Needle Spiking' in the UK". www.vice.com. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  15. ^ "Women are reporting being spiked by needles, what's really happening?". www.cosmopolitan.com. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  16. ^ a b Walfisz, Jonny (13 May 2022). "First the UK, now France: is needle-spiking spreading in European clubs?". Euronews.
  17. ^ Daly, Rebecca (11 November 2021). "Gardai confirm multiple 'needle spiking' investigations as woman left 'disorientated by drugs'". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  18. ^ Gallagher, Conor (27 October 2021). "Gardaí investigate claim woman 'spiked' in nightclub with needle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  19. ^ Clapson, Collin (24 May 2022). "Needle apiking confirmed at top flight match". VRT NWS. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  20. ^ clapson, collin (26 May 2022). "needle-spiking-or-mass-hysteria-at-we-r-young". VRT NWS. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Berlin: Sängerin wird in Berliner Club mit Spritze attackiert und durchlebt einen Horrortrip". www.rnd.de (in German). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  22. ^ Kittel, Sören (29 May 2022). "Nach der Spritzen-Attacke im Berghain: "Ich dachte wirklich, ich sterbe jetzt"". Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  23. ^ Auto, Hermes (3 August 2022). "Spain reports rash of 'needle spiking' attacks on women | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com.
  24. ^ Campedel, Aurelia; Bietenhard, Seline; Cerletti, Taddeo (15 August 2022). "Needle-Spiking | Ich wurde an der Street Parade 14 Mal mit einer Nadel gestochen". 20 Minuten (in Swiss German). Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  25. ^ a b Galer, Sophia Smith (20 October 2021). "Here's What We Know About Reports of Women Being 'Spiked With Needles' in UK Clubs". Vice News.
  26. ^ Wickham, Alex (20 October 2021). "London Playbook: Spike warning — No Plan B for now — Hero to net zero". Politico.
  27. ^ Lawton, Megan (15 October 2021). "Drink spiking at house parties 'big concern' for police". BBC News.
  28. ^ "Home Affairs Committee launches inquiry into spiking". UK Parliament. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  29. ^ [https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2023/45/ Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023 (Bill 45 of 2023)] Oireachtas
  30. ^ "Norwich: Drink-spiking fears prompt venue boycott". BBC News. 20 October 2021.
  31. ^ "Suffolk nightspot injection spiking attacks investigated". BBC News. 2 November 2021.
  32. ^ "Thousands of women set to boycott nightclubs for 'night in' protest amid surge in reports of drink spiking and unknown injections". Sky News. 27 October 2021.
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