Researchers leading a study into drink spiking want the media to help correct public misconceptions surrounding the crime, warning it is more common away from a licensed venue than you might think.
La Trobe University's Rural Health School commenced its study into drink-spiking activities across the Greater Bendigo region in late June.
The findings of the research aim to help the community prevent — and agencies respond to — drink-spiking-related sexual violence.
This is the first study into the issue since 2004.
Project manager Jessica Ison is among the team of nine involved in the study, which is in its second phase.
Dr Ison said one of the main hurdles for the study to overcome was data collection, as victim-survivors were unlikely to report the offence for a range of reasons, including intoxication and unnecessary self-blame.
Another main reporting deterrent, Dr Ison said, was the setting in which the offending occurred.
According to an Australian Institute of Criminology study, around 60 per cent of spiking-related sexual assaults occurred away from a licensed venue.
"Most likely the perpetrator is known to them, alcohol is used, and it's most likely at home," Dr Ison said.
"There's an idea that this is [most likely] to happen in a club … It does happen there, but it is most likely someone you know. So this makes it difficult for people to come forward."
'Big part' of fixing misconceptions with media
Dr Ison said the media needed to help remove the stereotype that spiking was most common in nightclubs and other licensed venues.
She said an overwhelming majority of reports about drink spiking were about incidents outside of the home.
"You see a real contrast between the media reports compared to the research."
Dr Ison added that there needed to be a multi-pronged approach to "changing rape myths".
"That needs to be in schools, TV shows we're watching — all across society."
Focus on 'stopping perpetration'
In an Australian-first, WA Police rolled out self-test kits in all 24-hour metropolitan police stations and all police stations in regional Western Australia last month.
Since the launch, there have been 18 tests conducted and all have returned a negative result, a WA Police spokesperson confirmed.
Dr Ison said even if the system was "flawless", she had "some concerns" over the kits, which test for more than 600 drugs.
"Often the substance used is alcohol. People might think they're going to get some answers from a test, but they won't get the answers they think, which could potentially be re-traumatising," she said.
"I'm not saying we should never test, it just concerns me when people think that's the answer and will get them a solution, when I think it rarely will.
"That's why need to be focusing our attention on stopping perpetration."
