Fighting the spiking epidemic: ‘Night In London’ to take place this week
Boycotts of nightclubs are happening all over the UK this week, and London will be no exception.
Photo by Baptiste MG on Unsplash
Drink spiking has become an issue that can no longer go unnoticed. The Girls Night In movement is staging boycotts in order to raise awareness, including Night In London, which will take place on 5 November. The movement aims to bring about higher security, and increased prevention measures and overall support from clubs. All supporters of the cause, especially girls, are called to stay in to protest and send a clear message – that this spiking outbreak needs to be taken seriously, and action must be taken.
Freshers’ week is always a time of surges in reports of spiking, but this year the numbers are especially concerning. A Tab London survey shows that 43% of London students say they have either been spiked themselves or know a friend that has.
As the pandemic stripped students of the opportunity to participate in social occasions, events and nights out, the re-opening of clubs was somewhat of a victory for young people, signaling a return to normality in this aspect of student life. Yet, due to this spiking epidemic we are witnessing, going to clubs has turned into a nightmare for many girls, who can no longer enjoy a night out without worrying about their safety.
An inevitable sense of uneasiness and frustration is giving rise to a circulation of Instagram posts aimed at young girls. These mainly share tips on how to prevent spiking, including ensuring your drink is never left unattended or accessable, buying covers for your drink, as well as ways to recognise whether a drink has been spiked. Further concerns have arisen as a result of reports of incidents of spiking by injection, suggesting that covering your drink may no longer be enough to stay safe.
Sports night, on 27 October, was affected by boycotts from many UCL sports clubs, including UCL Netball, UCL Women’s and Men’s Basketball, UCL Lacrosse, UCL Tennis, UCL Women’s Football and UCL Volleyball. The Students’ Union also decided to support the Girls Night In campaign by closing all Union-run bars on the night of the 27th.
Following the successful boycott of sports night, which included Phineas and Loop, clubs popular amongst students, the next major boycott will be Night In London on 5 November. Participation is expected to be high, as a recent Pi Media survey reported that around 88% of UCL students surveyed are planning on joining the boycott by not going to clubs on the night of the 5th.
Action is also being taken with a petition that currently has over 170,000 signatures, asking for thorough searches on entry at nightclubs.