Needle spiking: A new social contagion?

When the first reports of needle spiking in UK universities began to surface, questions over this hard-to-prove crime were raised. What was going on, were the reports true? Hannah Fearn investigates

Why should women change their behaviour? (iStock/The Independent)

On 17 October, a thread appeared on the Mumsnet forum “Feminism chat” posted by a mother worrying about her teenage daughter, studying at Exeter University. “Apparently there have been several reported incidents of students in Exeter nightclubs being injected in the back (not by people they are with) while out,” she wrote. “I'm not saying this is fake, but I'd like some more information – it sounds a bit modern day urban legend to me,” another poster quickly replied.

But then came the counter posts: “Think it’s happening in Nottingham as well,” said one. “This happened to DS’s friend in a club in Sheffield, felt a sharp prick then felt totally out of it. They took her home and she was OK the next day,” added another. Edinburgh, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle, Stirling – parents from all over the country had heard the same reports from their young daughters.

Nine days later, another thread appeared. By now the concerns about spiking by injection had spread to all British universities and was beginning to affect student behaviour. “[Daughter] is in her first year at Reading Uni,” a woman posted. “Seven girls have recently been injected at the students union and she has a friend at another uni who had her drink spiked. She is now afraid to go out at night and she and her friends have kitchen parties instead. I think it’s really sad that they are having to stay home as it’s considered too unsafe to go out at night.”