Friday 22-10-2021 - 13:06

Joint statement from the University of Bristol and Bristol Students’ Union:

We are aware of an increasing number of reports from across the country of young people experiencing drink spiking or even spiking via injection in bars and nightclubs. This is incredibly disturbing, particularly as this is the first time a lot of young people have been able to get out and have fun following months of lockdowns and restrictions on their freedom.

We stand together in condemning such appalling behaviour and the perpetrators who carry out these dangerous and ultimately life-threatening acts. We are clear that victims of drink spiking are not the ones at fault and young people should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without fear. We also call on bars and nightclubs in the city to do everything they can to raise awareness of these issues and make their venues as safe as possible.

Spiking and its effects are extremely distressing and we encourage students to be aware of the dangers of drink spiking, not to leave their drinks unattended and to make sure, if they’re on a night out, that they look out for each other. Advice and support are available to any student who has been a victim of this and we strongly encourage them to get in touch with our wellbeing teams who are here to help, and to report the incident to the police if they feel comfortable in doing so.

Our students’ wellbeing and safety firmly remains a top priority for the University of Bristol and Bristol Students’ Union. In light of the increased number of incidents being reported, we are working together on a joint campaign to make our venues safer, ensure students are supported on or after nights out in the city, inform students of what to do if they have been a victim of spiking and how to stay safe, and working with all our partners in the city to prioritise safety and have a zero-tolerance approach to spiking.

 

We’ll be launching our Safer Night Out campaign in the coming weeks to help you enjoy a safe night out. For now, if you are looking for more information about how you can stay safe, check out our guide to safe nights out or the Bristol Rules.