Spiking In Ireland: It's Time To Take Action

We've all heard about the devastation that spiking – or adding drugs or alcohol to someone's drink or body without their knowledge or consent – can cause. We've read about the rise in incidents in newspaper headlines, and heard stories shared by friends and family. We've even been promised action on the issue in the current Programme for Government. But despite all that talk, and the growing awareness, spiking still remains an under-reported issue, due to a lack of legislation, accessible testing pathways, and appropriate support services.

Unsurprisingly, Safe Gigs Ireland – an initiative to make gigs and nightlife safer for everyone – have had enough of the inaction. This summer, they launched a new Spiking In Ireland campaign, to fight for legislative and systemic change, with the help of people across the country. With their new petition – which they've been bringing to festivals and gigs throughout the summer – the team are calling on the Government to enact standalone legislation on the crime of spiking.

Although incidents may fall under broader legislation, spiking itself is not currently defined as a distinct offence under Irish law. This lack of a clear legal definition can create serious challenges when it comes to recording incidents consistently, supporting victims through the legal process, and pursuing prosecutions. As a result, the true scale and nature of spiking in this country remains difficult to measure.

This also leads to misinformation and misconceptions – with many people unaware that spiking can affect people of all ages and genders, across a multitude of social settings. Misinformation about spiking can prevent people from seeking help, and can shift responsibility onto the victim – despite the fact that spiking is a criminal act, and responsibility lies solely with the person who committed it.

The petition also highlights other significant issues – including the fact that An Garda Síochána still does not have a dedicated category to record spiking incidents.

There are critical gaps in healthcare in Ireland too – such as limited access to timely toxicology testing, and no standardised national protocol for managing suspected cases of spiking.

Already, the Spiking In Ireland petition has garnered thousands of in-person signatures, with many more expected over the next few weeks, as the team head to Electric Picnic, before continuing on to college campuses across the country.

Safe Gigs are also encouraging people who are organising or hosting events to reach out and get involved – and spread the message by collecting signatures for the petition themselves.

As the team have stated: "Every signature strengthens the case for safer communities and accountability."

At the heart of their campaign is the belief that all of our voices – young and old – matter, and together, we can push to make Ireland safer for everyone.

That idea is also central to Safe Gigs' Spiking Hub, through which people can submit anonymous accounts of their experiences with spiking.

With little national research on the prevalence or impact of spiking, the Spiking Hub is helping to develop a clearer picture of the issue  – and the sorts of responses victims receive from venues, healthcare professionals, and the Gardaí.

"Essentially, we're looking to gather information on how people were met," says Safe Gigs' Dola Twomey. "People often say that they were just dismissed, or not believed. That's what we need to change – and the Spiking Hub gathers the numbers to reinforce what we're saying out loud. So the more people who fill that in, the stronger the case we can make."

Keep an eye out for Safe Gigs Ireland and their Spiking in Ireland petition at Electric Picnic and on college campuses over the weeks ahead.

Follow the campaign or reach out and get involved at @spikinginireland.

You can also share your experience through the Spiking Hub at spikinginireland.com

For more, see safegigs.ie