Spiking in the Workplace Creating Awareness and Providing Essential Information
Join Spiking in the Workplace to help create a safer workplace environment. Our platform offers valuable resources and support to address spiking incidents effectively.
Motivation
A workplace perpetrator will spike food and/or drink for many reasons. Some claim to do it for fun or to 'loosen up' the victim. Others do it to harass, to rob or to assault. For some the sole motivation is to sexually assault and rape.
From the lone perpetrator to a team of perpetrators working together, to spike and commit a crime when the recipient cannot defend themselves is a heinous act.
The pattern of behaviour can start with harassment and lead to stalking, unwanted sexual remarks, touching, assault and rape.
When a perpetrator drugs their victim they also make a choice whether to leave evidence of their crime.
Without evidence - it is difficult for the victim to detect the crime. They can have very limited memory, so much so that victims can get on with their day not realising that a large chunk of it is missing from their memory.
If the perpetrator(s) decide to leave evidence - it can be overwhelming, disorientating and terrifying for the victim. When they attempt to focus and try to remember their day there is no memory of what happened.
A victim can gradually remember details leading up to being drugged and can piece together details of coming out of the effects of the drug but this could be days, weeks or months later. If the perpetrator continues to drug the victim, even in very small amounts, the memory is affected even more.
If this has happened to you or if you have even the slightest of doubts, speak to someone you trust. By keeping the incidents a secret the crime remains silent and invisible.
Effects of Drugs
Spiking can make a person seriously ill both physically and psychologically. It can cause:
- confusion and disorientation
- nausea and vomiting
- hallucinations and paranoia
- poor co-ordination and vision
- an inability to communicate clearly
- memory loss and blackouts
If enough of the drug is administered it will render a person unable to defend themselves.
Some people have reported that they remember nothing of the incident apart from the effects of the drug. Some people say they could hear and feel but they could not see or speak. Some are left with the knowledge that something happened but they don't have all the facts.
Some victims know the facts but are terrified into remaining silent because of physical and emotional threats, a fear of leaving a job before they've found another one, afraid to speak up in case of ridicule, not being believed, not being sure who to trust.
A perpetrator then has more time to coerce, groom and abuse the victim.
Long term effects of being spiked can cause anxiety conditions and often lead to the need for treatment. There can be severe emotional consequences such as embarrassment, shame, loss of confidence, self-blame, and trauma.
If you recognise any of these feelings, you must talk to someone you trust so that you can process what's happened.
Report to the Police
If there's no-one in the workplace you can turn to or if you're not getting the help you expected, there are agencies in the UK that can help you with emotional support, practical help and legal advice. Go to our Support and Advice section for more information.
Some incidences are difficult to detect and to remember clearly. Many victims think they don't have enough information to report to the Police.
As you are reading this, you might think you don't have enough evidence but it's very important that you do report the crime. The police can and do investigate crimes with little information. If they are unable to carry out a full investigation they will tell you why. If other victims come forward the Police will re-open your case.
It is usual for the perpetrator to continue their behaviour and crimes - this means they become serial perpetrators. It's likely that other brave victims will report to the police in the future, or, they might have already done so.
Even if you think you don't have enough information we urge you to report to the Police and get a crime number.
Reporting to the Police might not be the path to a successful conviction but the information can help in other ways. More reporting can help the police to better serve the victims of this type of crime. It can also have a positive impact on how new laws are written.
If you are not sure what to do next Victim Support can help you reach a decision.
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