How Shout-Up! helps venue staff respond to warning signs
The Metropolitan Police has warned that it is seeing spiking cases involving medication and drug-laced vapes, as well as drinks. Its officers are also investigating incidents in private settings, including house parties and student accommodation. Read the BBC report.
Spiking is a crime in its own right. It can also be used to facilitate sexual assault. That is why Shout-Up! includes suspected spiking in its training for staff in nighttime venues.
Recognising an escalating situation
Shout-Up! training explains the difference between sexual harassment and sexual assault. It also asks staff to pay attention to behaviours that may be warning signs, even when those behaviours do not, on their own, amount to harassment or assault.
One example is someone trying to separate a person from the friends or group they came with. Suspected spiking is another. Staff are encouraged to notice what is happening around them and take a concern seriously, rather than wait until they know exactly what has occurred.
Knowing what to do
If staff suspect someone has been spiked in their venue, the training is clear about their priorities. They should make sure the person is safe and receives medical attention, and share relevant information with the police. If a suspected perpetrator needs to be removed from the venue, staff should be guided by the police.
It is not a staff member’s job to identify a substance or decide whether someone intended to commit a further offence.
The forms of spiking described in the BBC report make that distinction especially relevant: staff may have a serious concern without knowing how a person became unwell.
Shout-Up! gives venue teams a way to recognise potential warning signs and respond when someone may be at risk.