2021's Spiking Pandemic

Months after the lockdown's restrictions being lifted, a new type of evil has begun sweeping over the country.

Girl's drinks being spiked whilst clubbing is nothing new, unfortunately. Whilst pills are still incredibly harmful and often result in hospitalisation, this new method of using needles seems to be a tad more threatening.

This 'epidemic' of spiking injections began in Nottingham, after multiple girls reported being stabbed by a needle in the club and blacking out afterwards. Similar incidents like this are now appearing in both Liverpool and Scotland.

As women, we've always had to take extra precautions to stay safe whilst drinking but all of these are easily defeated with the new extremes. How far will these predators go to target and assault a young girl?

Most of these victims have described their experience as a 'physical scratch-type sensation before feeling very unwell'.

It seems we are now at the level of urgency where boycotting these nightclubs is the only way to feel heard. The #girlsnightin campaign is popping up for various cities across the UK, with support from local sports clubs.

#Girlsnightin has over 518K posts shared on Instagram, with most of the support rising from universities.

For Birmingham, the event will be happening on Wednesday 27th October. This means choosing against clubbing for the night, in hopes it'll force nightclubs to actually listen to the dangers faced by young women. Why not on a weekend, when it'll be busier, you ask? Well, by choosing a student night, it'll strike more of a chord - as weekends are usually filled with people from different cities.

The movement is fully inclusive and would appreciate support from girls, guys and non-binary friends.

For future reference, here are a few signs to notice if your drink has been tampered with:

• Foggy appearance

• Excessive bubbles

• Sinking ice

• Change in colour

And if you think your friend has been spiked, you should:

• Tell a bar manager, bouncer or member of staff

• Stay with them and make conversation

• Call an ambulance if they become unable to talk or walk

• Don't leave their side

• Take further alcohol off them

Rumours have surfaced about the needles being dirty and causing risk of HIV, which is only adding to the panic. However, there is still a possibility of this risk and society should be aware of how to respond to this threat.

If you have been stabbed with an unfamiliar needle and worry you may have contracted HIV, you can call the NHS for PrEP (pre-exposure prohylaxis) - which is a free of charge prevention medication available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

PrEP is available to anybody who needs it, so there's no risk of being denied service. However, you only have 72 hours after potentially contracting HIV.