Birmingham Pride 27-28 May

The second largest city in England hosts its annual gay pride, a technicolour spectacular celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender culture. This event highlights Birmingham as a leading city of inclusivity and diversity. This two-day event filled with activities for young, and old, and all ethnic groupings invites all security and first aid challenges. Some of these challenges are peoples drinks getting spiked, heat exhaustion, and assaults to list few.

Thankfully year on year the organisers work with stakeholders including Birmingham City Council and security providers. The need for well trained and competent SIA licensed first aiders is always a must. We shall provide some handy tips about safeguarding yourself against spiking .

Spiking and How to Keep Yourself Safe

You will have heard the horror stories about spiking incidents while at festivals on a night out but unfortunately more and more young people are becoming victims of this horrible form of abuse. Official statistics on spiking are not regularly published, but in December 2022 the National Police Chiefs’ Council said that between September 2021 and September 2022 nearly 5,000 cases of needle and drink spiking incidents were reported across England and Wales. Many more cases were likely never reported. Make sure you know what to look out for and how to keep yourself safe.

So What is Spiking?

‘Spiking’ is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person’s drink or their body without their knowledge or consent.

Different types of spiking can include the following substances being added to drinks:

Alcohol
‘Date rape’ drugs
Illegal drugs
Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquillisers, sedatives, opiates)

Drink spiking can happen to any type of drink, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

There are various reasons why someone might decide to ‘spike’ another person. It might be intended as a ‘joke’, or to make it easier for them to commit a violent crime or assault their victim. Motives may include:

Rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse
Non-sexual assault
Robbery
Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquillisers, sedatives, opiates)

Spiking is a Crime

It is never the victim’s fault!

Spiking someone in order to commit a violent or sexual offence against them is a serious crime – no matter whether any sexual offence took place. It carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison in England and Wales.

If the aggressor also committed a sexual offence against the victim they spiked, they will face additional charges.

How to Know if you Have Been Spiked

The effects of drink spiking vary depending on the substance. However, symptoms could include:

Lowered inhibitions
Loss of balance
Feeling sleepy
Visual problems
Confusion
Nausea
Vomiting
Unconsciousness

The symptoms will depend on lots of factors such as the substance or mix of substances used including the dose, your size and weight, and how much alcohol you might have already consumed.

Better to be Safe than Sorry

Always buy your own drink and watch as the person pours it.
Don’t accept drinks from strangers.
Never leave your drink unattended while you dance or go to the toilet.
Don’t drink or taste anyone else’s drink.
Throw your drink away if you think it tastes strange or different.

What you should do if you suspect someone has been spiked?

Tell a bar manager, Event Marshall, security staff , bouncer, or member of staff.
Calm and reassure the individual.
Keep them warm and comfortable in a safe stable location.
DO NOT induce vomiting.
Monitor the individual and ensure they are breathing steadily and are responsive to you.
Check for further injuries.
Take them to A&E or call 111.
If the individual continues to deteriorate, loses consciousness, continues breathing irregularly, or even stops breathing call 999 immediately.
If someone is unconscious but breathing, and has no other injuries place them in the recovery position until help arrives.
If someone stops breathing start to administer CPR.

What can event organisers Do:

Professional event organisers will provide competent trained first aiders and private ambulance or paramedics to support the event .

Some festival organisers have also set up tents where you can go to test your drinks for dangerous substances.

In response to the rise in spiking, Nottingham Trent University by increasing security for events at its students’ union. They also introduced Safe Places between 9pm and 9am across their campuses. Furthermore they provided bystander intervention training to staff in university venues and night-time venues across the city to prevent sexual violence.

About us

CSS Training Division provide award-winning first aid training tailored to your needs. Please visit our site and learn more about our practical and online courses. It is vital to keep your skills current and refreshed. We are currently providing essential training for individuals and groups across the UK.

CSS as a Birmingham based business has picked up the gauntlet as it has done for decades to ensure a safer community event by providing Emergency First Aiders for security staff who are looking to upskill and obtain the necessary skills as first aiders to support the Birmingham Pride Event scheduled for 27-28^th May 2023.

All attendees will be taught the essentials of Emergency First Aid and receive a recognised Level 3 Emergency First Aid Qualification.