Cambridgeshire Police launch annual anti-spiking campaign
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has launched its annual anti-spiking campaign, this year placing a spotlight on alcohol-based spiking - a form of the crime that is often underestimated and overlooked.
Running from September 15-21, as part of National Anti-Spiking Intensification Week, the campaign coincides with the return of university students - but is aimed at drinkers across the county, including Fenland.
Officers will be out across Cambridge and Peterborough city centres on both high-visibility and plain-clothed patrols. They’ll be working closely with licensed venues, universities, and local authorities to raise awareness, challenge suspicious behaviour, and tackle spiking head-on.
This year’s campaign challenges many of the myths surrounding spiking, in particular that spiking only involves so-called “date rape drugs”. In reality, alcohol is one of the most frequently used substances to spike someone and can be just as dangerous.
Spiking includes:
• Adding alcohol to a non-alcoholic drink without someone knowing
• Giving someone more alcohol than they agreed to, such as pouring a double instead of a single
• Topping up a drink without consent, especially when someone is already intoxicated
Inspector Ed McNeill said: “Spiking is an incredibly serious offence, and alcohol-based spiking is no exception. It’s often dismissed or even seen as a joke, but it can leave victims confused, vulnerable and traumatised.
“If someone gives you a double when you asked for a single, that’s spiking. It’s about consent and removing that consent is a crime.
“We want people to know that if they’ve been spiked – whether with alcohol, drugs or both – it’s not their fault. We’re here to help, not to judge.
“This campaign is about confronting perpetrators and making it clear that spiking has consequences. It has no place in Cambridgeshire.”
You can find more information on spiking on the police website, including advice on how to report incidents, and guidance on where to get medical help and emotional support. Police have also created a new page offering myth-busting information.