How much attention do you pay to what’s happening around you on a night out? You may think you’re being careful, but danger might be closer than you expect.
Shirah Benarde, founder of NightCap, set out to prove this in a recent TikTok video. During a party with friends, she decided to run a small experiment by secretly ‘spiking’ their drinks with candy while filming it all on camera. Shockingly, not a single person caught on. Keep reading to find out how she pulled it off.
The TikToker set up a small experiment with her friends to prove a serious point
Turns out, it’s surprisingly easy to tamper with someone’s drink
It’s incredibly important to never let your guard down in these situations
You can watch the full video here
@shiraah With everything going on with #diddy right now, this is do important to remember. Do not let your guard down even at a private party. #diddyparty #drinkspikingprevention #spiked ♬ original sound – sped up songs <3
Drink spiking is more common than you might think
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / pexels (not the actual photo)
Shirah Benarde’s experiment has successfully shown just how quickly a fun outing can turn into a potentially dangerous situation. And while many of us might be aware that drink spiking is a serious concern, we often underestimate the chances of it happening to us.
According to research conducted by YouGov in 2022, one in ten women (10%) and one in twenty men (5%) have experienced drink spiking. Alarmingly, another study revealed that while most incidents occur in bars or clubs, a quarter happen in private homes. This means that even in what we perceive to be a safe environment, there’s still a risk of someone taking advantage of our guard being down.
“Most commonly, drink spiking is with other alcohol, partly because it’s easy to conceal alcohol in another alcoholic drink,” says Nicole Lee, a professor at the National Drug Research Institute. However, there are also less noticeable substances that can be used, making their way into drinks like water, though they are less common. “There have been incidents of Rohypnol, ketamine, and GHB being used. Those drugs are clear and don’t smell,” adds Lee.
“The whole purpose of spiking is to incapacitate a person,” says Hayley Foster, the CEO of Full Stop Australia, an organization that provides counseling for those affected by sexual violence. “Often, it is to reduce that person’s ability to resist sexual advances.”
The reactions to being spiked can differ from person to person. According to the UK Metropolitan Police, common symptoms include confusion, nausea, hallucinations, paranoia, disorientation, poor coordination, memory loss, and difficulty communicating. In some cases, those affected may experience lowered inhibitions or even lose consciousness. These symptoms usually begin within 15 minutes of being spiked, depending on the substance, and can last for several hours.
Most people don’t report drink spiking to the police
Image credits: Gabriel Hohol / pexels (not the actual photo)
Despite the risks, only 7.2% of individuals who experience drink spiking report it to the police. Reasons for this vary, but victims often face shame that discourages them from coming forward. One woman, Corey, who was 18 when she recounted her experience of being spiked in a 2018 BBC article, described the ordeal as terrifying. “I couldn’t feel my legs, I couldn’t feel my arms, I couldn’t speak properly,” she shares.
“Everyone I told gave me the same responses: ‘Oh, it happens. You should have been more careful; you should have watched your drink,’” she explains. “I was getting blamed.”
“The hard part is that there is no proof I was spiked; it’s just my word,” Corey adds. “I kept getting told it was my fault. I didn’t want the police to say that it was me.”
Many activists are campaigning to address this issue and raise awareness while offering support to those who have been spiked. However, the best course of action is to protect yourself in advance. “Make sure you keep your drink close to you, don’t share drinks with other people, especially if you haven’t seen where it’s come from,” Lee advises.
If someone offers to buy your drink, be sure to go to the bar with them, watch it being made, and pick it up yourself. If you notice that your beverage tastes off, don’t hesitate to stop drinking. Your safety is far more important than trying to play it cool.
Many commenters agreed that this is a great way to make your friends aware of how unexpectedly their drinks could be spiked
However, some felt the experiment was a bad idea, thinking it could harm the trust the woman had with her friends
Others shared their own frightening experiences of getting roofied
