Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û

While misconceptions about the nature of this crime are common, and data on the scale of the problem limited, student concerns grew last autumn after a significant increase in reports of spiking across the general population.

Ahead of the start of the 2022-23 year, universities are being urged to prepare to support their student communities with essential information to prevent spiking and on what to do if it does occur.

The note is the initial output of a working group, originally convened by ministers at the Department of Education, and chaired by Professor Lisa Roberts, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter.

It outlines principles and considerations for universities, along with an ‘immediate actions’ checklist to respond to an incident, and also includes best-practice examples of successful initiatives at institutions.

The practice note outlines how:

• When dealing with spiking and communicating its risks, universities must understand and recognise its complexities. It is not only a crime that impacts women, or one necessarily linked to sexual violence and assault. It may not even involve the use of illegal drugs. Failure to recognise this can make it less likely that some students will report it.
• Any communications should focus on the perpetrator and not the victim – well-used simplistic messaging like 'don’t leave your drink unattended' put the impetus on the potential victim. Communications should focus on deterring the perpetrator, and then helping victims or witnesses to report incidents.
• The disciplinary process for perpetrators must be clear and well-explained.
• Universities should have an ‘open door’ policy on reporting and be clear that information students disclose in this process, as victims or as witnesses, will not result in negative consequences for them.
• A ‘multi-partner approach’ is needed, with universities working with student unions, local police, nighttime venues and NHS, in recognition that this is a wider problem which cannot be tackled by one sector alone. Student representatives must also help design awareness campaigns, be consulted and heard.

Drafted by academic expert Professor Nicole Westmarland, Director of the Durham University Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse, the notice was put together with the advice and support of students, campaigners, the police, and other experts. The experiences of people who have been spiked are included in the practice note.

Notes to editors

This practice note was written by Professor Nicole Westmarland, Director of the Durham University Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse and Professor of Criminology in the Department of Sociology, Durham University.

The work was informed by expert counsel from the DfE ministerial working group on spiking. Members of this group consulted with their students – including male students, students from Black and minoritised ethnic communities, and international students.