Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 47
Produce national anti-spiking communications campaign engaging night-time, education, and health sectors
Recommendation
As part of its national communications campaign to say “Enough” to violence against women and girls, the Government should engage with the night-time industry, the education sector, and the health sector to produce a national anti-spiking communications campaign. The awareness raising campaign should: (i) send a clear message that there is no acceptable defence for spiking, whether done for fun or malicious intent; that it can have devastating consequences for victims; and that spiking is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison; (ii) encourage victims and venues to report incidents to the police, with the promise that all reports will be investigated; and (iii) communicate immediate and longer-term sources of support for spiking victims, including testing.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees with the recommendation and is working with policing stakeholders to promote key messages, while exploring options for further communications and outreach through the education and private sectors.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
47
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The Government agrees with this recommendation and has begun conversations with communications leads from the “Enough” campaign looking into how spiking can be integrated into the wider campaign. In particular, we are exploring the opportunities for communications around September/ October this year, reflecting on the fact that reports of needle spiking peaked around the same period in 2021, coinciding with the university year starting, and the various “fresher’s weeks” that will be launching around that time. We recognise that these crimes can only lead to a charge and prosecution if there is evidence that spiking has taken place. We are therefore committed to working with law enforcement, festivals and Night Time Economy venues to ensure that there is clear messaging around what victims can expect, particularly in relation to accredited forensics testing process and the wider limitations around portable testing kits.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗