A British woman has bravely spoken out about her experience of having been spiked after 'something was dropped into her cup'.
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Rachael Ovens spoke about the terrifying experience and the danger signs people should look out for.
Being interviewed by the TV show's hosts, Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, she recalled going on a night out for her friend's birthday in 2022. Ovens stated that, as she had work the next day, she wasn't planning on having a late night at the pub or drinking tonnes.
She stated that shortly after walking one of her friends to their car, she started to 'not feel right in her body' and that her full bottom half 'collapsed'.
Advert
Ovens recalled how she told a friend 'something's not right' and that she couldn't open her eyes and felt as if she 'had a weight' on her eyelids.
The Scottish woman said that ‘anything could have happened’ if not for the fact that she was out with a friend who looked after her.
When asked by Ed Balls what the possible motive could be, Rachael could only point to an older guy who was 'in their space' and 'pestering her'.
After reporting the incident to the police, it took a full year to get her test results, leading to a reveal that there had been a large quantity of the drug morphine in her system.
Bizarrely, however, the police do not class morphine as a spiking substance and were unable to identify who may have slipped it into her drink on CCTV.
The conversation sparked concern amongst viewers, with one replying to a video of her story on X saying: “That’s a proper shocker, love. Hope she’s alright — and if you’re out in the sticks, always keep your wits about you.”
Experts have spoken in the past about signs you may have been spiked, as well as ways to look out for people who may be looking to carry out the crime and possibly prevent it.
The NHS say the following symptoms may be a sign that you have been spiked:
- Sudden onset of intoxication
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Difficulty in walking or difficulty moving
- Nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (being sick)
- Hallucinations (seeing things which are not there)
- Visual problems, for example, blurred vision
- Paranoia (a feeling of fear or distrust of others)
- Confusion, especially the next day or after waking up
- Amnesia (loss of memory) especially about things that have happened recently
They state that, if you experience the above suddenly, it is important to seek help from someone you trust such as a friend, relative, or a member of staff if you are out and go to a safe place.
TalktoFrank, an organisation who provide ‘honest information about drugs’, say that one of the most important tips is to stay safe is to always order drinks and watch them being poured and handed to you.
In addition to this, they say not to accept drinks from strangers, leave your drink unattended and to throw away your drink if it tastes strange or you suspect something is in it.
Ashley James, an ambassador for counterspike also added that people can use Spikestixx to test their drinks. These are single use drink spike and detector kits that can be used to detect the presence of drugs in drinks.
They also reiterated the need to look out for your mates and stay safe on nights out.
If you suspect you have been spiked, call 999 or 111 and receive urgent medical attention.
If you suspect you have been spiked in the past and had not realised, reach out to Victim Support on their hotline at 08 08 16 89 111, or via their live chat that can be found here.
Topics: Good Morning Britain, TV and Film, TV, Drugs, UK News
Michael Slavin