—Nice Peter Beware of spiked drinks!
“Even the best weeks start with Monday.”
MBABANE – As we are approaching the festival season, as the Entertainment Desk we want to caution patrons, especially the youth to be more careful when they go out.
7he culture of going out to night clubs and partying with friends is becoming a norm in these times and there is a need for the youth to always make sure that they are safe when go ing out, especially from spiked drinks.
7he issue of spiked drinks is a huge concern because of the rising number of cases of rape victims as a result of their drinks laced at nightclubs all over the globe. 7o spike a drink, one puts alcohol or drugs into someone¶s drink without their knowledge or permission. 'rink spiking can occur anywhere drinks are served, such as at nightclubs, parties, pubs, restaurants and private homes.
'rink spiking at nightclubs can be linked to crimes such as se[ual assault. ,n these situations, the of fender may spike someone¶s drink to lower their defences and make it easier to commit a crime against them. (stimates suggest that one third of drink spiking incidents are associated with se[ual attack. 'rink spiking is illegal, whatever the intent. 7his means that slipping alcohol or drugs into a friend¶s drink as a prank is against the law, even if the drink is not consumed or the person is not harmed. 3eople who spike drinks can be fined or jailed.
'rink spiking is a deliberate act. 3ublic perception is that it is limited to slipping drugs into an alcoholic drink, however, drink spiking can include
3utting alcohol into a non alcoholic drink (such as water, soft drink, non alcoholic punch or fruit juice).
Adding e[tra alcohol to an alcoholic drink.
Slipping prescription or illegal drugs (such as ben]odia]epines, amphetamines or
*+% ± also called liquid ecstasy) into an alcoholic or non alcoholic drink.
,t has also been found that women are more likely to have their drinks spiked than men. Stud ies show that most people are not aware of the dangers of drink spiking. )or e[am ple 0any people do not think they are at risk of drink spiking, and do not consider it a common occurrence. 'rinks can be spiked by people you know or have just met. You may not consider an unknown person to be a stranger after talking to them for a while then more likely to accept a drink from them. ,n the kingdom, there have been a number of cases reported, but due to the sensitivity of the events after, the cases including the names of the reports will not be mentioned. ,n neighbouring coun tries, especially South Africa (SA), there have been a numerous number of cases. -ust in 0ay of last year, a woman was arrested for spiking women¶s drinks at clubs.
Accused
7he reported article read ³3olice arrest woman accused of spiking drinks at 3retoria clubs. 0ore women are wanted for spiking drinks be longing to men at pubs and clubs in hopes to go home with them and proceed to steal items from the homes of the into[ icated males.´ 7he article continued to read ³3retoria &en tral police recently arrested a woman for spiking male victims¶ drinks at clubs and pubs around the &%'. According to police Spokesperson constable 7habang 1khu mise, the year old suspect was part of a group of females, who spiked drinks belonging to men in hopes to go home with them and steal their belongings.¶¶ 1khumise said this group of women have been terrorising unsuspecting men at var ious drinking spots, especially the %lue 5oom &entral pub in 3reto ria &entral. Seemingly, the females would leave the pubs with the into[i cated male victims to their homes and steal their property, commented the &onstable.´ ,n that country, there have been a hefty number of assault and rape cases due to one being spiked.
To protect yourself and your friends against drink spiking, safety suggestions
include:
Party safely and socialise with trusted friends.
Plan how you will watch out for each other while you are out.
Buy your own drinks.
If you are at a venue that serves drinks, watch the bartender prepare your drink. Don’t accept drinks from strangers. If you accept the offer of a drink from a stranger, accompany them to the bar and take the drink from the bartender yourself.
Don’t drink anything that has been spiked. If you see others doing so (including people you know), call it out. Be wary if a stranger buys you a drink and it’s not the type of drink you requested.
Don’t take your eyes off your drink. If you need to leave (to go to the toilet or dance, for example), ask a trusted friend to keep watch.
Buy drinks that come in bottles with screw-top lids. Carry the bottle in your bag when you go to the toilet or have a dance.
Don’t consume your drink if you think it may have been spiked. Discuss your concerns with the manager or host.
Tell the manager or host immediately if you see someone spike a drink or if you suspect that drink spiking may be occurring.
A few local social media influencers and nightclub DJ’s were interviewed by this publication to find out what was the scene on the ground and what would be their precautionary measures to people out there. Social media influencer, Gcinisizwe Buthelezi, commonly known as Nurse weKhantri mentioned how it was really becoming a cause for concern in the safety of women at clubs.
Safety Suggestions
‘‘Go out with close friends .
Never leave your opened drinks unattended. Note that some drinks are twists and can be closed again. So don’t leave your drinks unattended.
If someone offers you a drink rather order it and ask it’s delivered directly to you than someone coming with an already bought drink .
When going out on a date with someone. Give clear details to a trusted friend who you are going out with and share a live location as you change location, it automatically updates its self and it will be known where you are. In any case when you feel unexpectedly dizzy or sleeping following a drink, instantly notify a friend so they can be vigilant over the situation,” mentioned Buthelezi.
0ega /ounge resident '- and pro ducer best known by his stage name, '- 3resident also echoed %uthele]i¶s words and said, ³)irst of all, avoid leaving your drink unattended be cause it gives a person a chance to put something in it. *ive it to some one at the bar if possible that way if anything happens, you know who to ask. Also ,¶ve heard that you can check your drink using your thumb if you have long nails, apparently if it¶s spiked your nail polish changes or something´ :hat the '- was speaking about is a common way that females had been cautioned to check if their drinks have been spiked. 7o test a drink for safety, discretely dip the tip of a polished fingernail into a beverage. Should the drink be spiked, the nail polish will change colours. ,t¶s a fast and reliable way to ensure the wearer¶s safety.
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You may not realise your drink has been spiked by smelling it or tasting it. 7he substances used to spike drinks are often colourless and odourless. 7he substance used what your drink has been mi[ed with the dose your si]e and weight how much alcohol you have already consumed.
Drink spiking symptoms may include: Feeling drunk, woozy or drowsy.
Feeling “out of it” or drunker than expected.
Speech difficulties (such as slurring). Nausea and vomiting.
Breathing problems.
Muscle spasms or seizures.
Loss of consciousness.
An unusually long hangover.
A severe hangover when you had little or no alcohol to drink.
7here are a few things you can do if you suspect you or someone else has had their drink spiked
Alert a trusted person such as a friend, venue staff or host what is happening.
*o a safe place have a trusted person
with you.
.eep a close eye on anyone who has
had their drink spiked.
&all an ambulance if their condition deteriorates in any way (for e[am ple, if they lose consciousness). &ontact police as soon as possible after a suspected incident of drink spiking.
,f you are planning to head out and party the night away, make sure to read through these precautionary measures and party safely.