Spiking has been a reality of the late-night world for decades. Most women growing up had it drilled into them not to leave drinks unattended and to never accept drinks from strangers. But in Cambridge, spiking is rarely discussed. When a friend I went out with earlier this term was spiked, it seemed suddenly everyone had a story of someone they knew who had similarly experienced it. I was left wondering how regularly the crime happens in Cambridge and what systems are in place to deal with it. Everyone knows spiking is possible and that it happens. However, Cambridge’s nighttime safety seems to go fairly unquestioned. With a decentralised college system, meaning support at all hours of the night is never far away, and a sense of separation of main club nights marketed at Cambridge University students only, there’s a tendency to assume Cambridge is risk-free. Spiking is still rare in Cambridge, and fear of it shouldn’t put people off enjoying a night out. Despite this, raising awareness that Cambridge isn’t immune to the issue and that being spiked is a very real risk is paramount to avoiding and dealing with it.

“Spiking is a prosecutable crime for which people can be imprisoned for up to ten years”

When spiking numbers soared post-COVID in Autumn 2021, with fears of new needle-spiking methods, students in Cambridge and across the UK took action by boycotting their local nightclubs. Today, discussion of the issue in Cambridge and the wider media has died down. This doesn’t mean spiking has stopped happening. A Cambridge SU survey carried out in Michaelmas 2023 found that 23% of students had been spiking victims, and 70% either had been a victim, witnessed a spiking incident, or knew someone who was spiked. Defined as giving extra alcohol or prescription or illegal drugs to someone ‘without their knowledge or permission’, spiking is a prosecutable crime for which people can be imprisoned for up to ten years. I spoke to students who’ve been spiked in Cambridge, as well as those trying to tackle the issue.

Olivia was enjoying a post-Revs Taco Bell with her friends when she accepted a free vape from a girl. Her friends watched as she “started convulsing”; their reactions “were like what the hell”. Stringing an arm over each of her friends’ shoulders, they carried her home. Carmen was geared up for a big night out with her friends when she started displaying symptoms of being overly drunk – struggling to stand and unable to control herself. For both Olivia and Carmen, there were “clear tell-tale signs”, such as their eyes rolling back, and Carmen was unresponsive. The symptoms, typically very similar to those of being extremely drunk, are difficult to recognise, particularly when awareness of the issue is limited. If placed in a similar situation now, Olivia still doubts spiking would be her first assumption. After taking her to a nearby college, Carmen’s friends attempted to look after her, trying to contact the Porters’ Lodge for help only to be told they were busy dealing with another separate incident. Lola, too, criticised her Porters’ Lodge, suggesting they “tend not to take you seriously” and simply assume a student is drunk. Although not always effective, according to Olivia, the extent of “localised forms of help” in Cambridge is still something to be grateful for, meaning immediate support points are generally available.

Nevertheless, targeted anti-spiking initiatives from colleges are few and far between. Marielle, a third-year student at King’s College, questioned why the issue is “just not talked about” and that colleges “don’t really see the relevance”. While co-chairing King’s Affair last year, Marielle noticed the lack of anti-spiking measures among May Balls in general. She conducted a report that resulted in securing college funding for anti-spiking provisions (reusable drink-cover scrunchies) for the Affair. After setting up an anti-spiking working group to continue the strategy, the provisions were extended to all bar events and were included in freshers’ matriculation packs. Although her proposal to spread the initiative across colleges was denied, Marielle hopes having initiatives in some colleges will help raise awareness. Talking about spiking can also remove any awkwardness, stigma, or shame around it – both the incident itself and taking precautions against it. “It’s cool to protect your drink”, asserts Marielle. The more people do, and the more drink covers are provided as an option, the less they stand out.

“Upon waking up after the incident, Olivia was left feeling ‘embarrassed, if anything’”

Upon waking up after the incident, Olivia was left feeling “embarrassed, if anything”. Ashamed that her new friends had seen her in that state and that she had willingly accepted the spiked item unaware. Marielle noted how easy it is to “gaslight yourself into thinking you are at fault”. Everyone agreed that recognising that they were not to blame was the best way to move forward. Feeling “scarred” about the prospect of being drunk, Olivia took a month off drinking after the incident. Now that time has passed, she feels “detached” from it, and Carmen contrastingly felt fairly unperturbed, brushing her experience of being spiked aside as an anomaly incident.

As the three people I spoke to didn’t remember anything from the night, they had to reckon with the incident in the ensuing days. Carmen felt “annoyed” upon waking up – her physically “slower”, sluggish state after the incident meant she struggled to get things done. The pressurised environment of Cambridge isn’t an easy one to look after yourself and properly recover in. After visiting the GP, Emma was assured she was physically okay, but in terms of how she felt mentally, there “wasn’t really any care for how I was doing”. She mentioned the incident to her supervisor and wasn’t offered any help or show of concern, a sense that their remit was academics-only. None of the people I spoke to reported being spiked to the police. Carmen’s Uber driver filed a police report out of concern, and she woke up to multiple calls but didn’t end up pursuing the report as she was busy and didn’t feel she had the time: “I wanted to just let it go”. For Olivia, reporting it to the police “didn’t cross [her] mind”.

“DrinkAware conducted a survey which found that over 90% of victims don’t contact the police as they don’t see the need for it”

A Freedom of Information request revealed that in Cambridgeshire, on average, roughly 100 spiking cases are reported annually, and from January to September 2024, 67 cases have been reported, with half of victims aged 18-30. However, reporting rates are low: DrinkAware conducted a survey which found that over 90% of victims don’t contact the police as they don’t see the need for it.

I spoke with the police sergeant for Cambridge city centre, Kevin Misik, on the issue of spiking. He urged victims to report the crime, emphasising that the difficulty of identifying perpetrators shouldn’t be equated with an inability to do anything about it or a pointlessness of reporting it. “The more we know, the more we can deal with the situation”: identifying venue hotspots enables him to “thoroughly investigate” their approach to spiking and ensure proper safety measures and training are in place. While during the spiking crisis of 2021 “no one really knew what to do”, now the sergeant feels confident most venues are doing “lots of work” on instructing staff how to properly watch out for and deal with the offence.

For both Olivia and Carmen, it was being with trusted friends that ensured their safety. The intangible nature of the offence left the people I spoke with feeling unsettled or disoriented, especially when individuals often don’t remember it happening. People tend to spike in crowded, foggy settings, dark, crammed venues packed with individuals not in full capacity. Pinning down the crime is difficult: people often don’t know when it happened or have any evidence to show for it. With Cambridge’s intense drinking culture and the symptoms of spiking often mimicking those of heavy drunkenness, those who know your normal behaviour are far more likely to pick up on something out of the ordinary in your behaviour.

None of the people I spoke to recalled spiking being mentioned in Fresher’s week or year-round or any advice offered. Some colleges have brought in measures. A couple of years ago, Hughes Hall had three instances of spiking reported at their college bop, prompting the college to introduce ‘awareness training’ for staff on the issue. Trinity Hall has drink covers available at their bar. But these anti-spiking provisions are rare. The 2023 SU survey found that nearly two-thirds of colleges have no anti-spiking measures in place. Any support and resources that are available, Olivia suggested, could be made more visible.

Cambridge City has set up some anti-spiking initiatives. Marielle mentions being offered training workshops from the police force when organising King’s Affair, and initiatives like ‘Business Against Abuse’ provide training. Ensuring students are properly briefed on spiking is critical, and colleges should at least ensure clear advice is given during Freshers Week. When I asked her if she had any advice for people, Olivia reflected: “actually tell yourself that it’s not your fault”. No matter what happened or how you might feel, “If everyone’s telling you it, believe it”.

All names of the spiking testimonials have been changed.