Drink spiking: Drive continues to make nights out in Hampshire safer for women and girls

Hampshire police and crime commissioner Donna Jones is supporting International Drink Spiking Awareness Day, and saying women and girls are disproportionately affected by these incidents.

Between April and June 2022, Hampshire Constabulary has recorded 38 incidents of drink spiking, and five incidents of needle spiking.

Today, the statistics locally are much lower than the peak last year in October and November, but ‘Stamp Out Spiking’ say these crimes are under-reported, often because victims are unaware they have been spiked until the next day, or they feel they can’t make a report because they won’t be believed.

The county’s deputy police and crime commissioner Terry Norton said: ‘These crimes significantly affect the feelings of safety among women and girls. Men are victims too, however reports from women and girls make up the majority of incidents, and mostly affect an age group between 18 and 22 years old.

‘The commissioner and I are absolutely resolute in our position on making the streets safer for young women, to ensure they feel safe going out, free from fear of violence, in public, private and hospitality venues.

‘We know that Hampshire Constabulary’s licensing team have been working with bar management throughout the counties and invested widely in awareness, prevention and training on safeguarding victims, as well as targeting potential perpetrators, and continue to do so in order to reduce these crimes.

‘We are fully supporting Stamp Out Spiking and the international day to increase awareness of this issue.’