Seven in 10 young adults have been affected by drink spiking in the UK

70 percent of 18–24-year-olds in the UK have experienced or witnessed drink spiking, according to a new study.

A report from LADbible Group and Stamp Out Spiking has revealed that seven in 10 young adults have been affected by drink spiking in the UK.

Amid the alarming statistics is that 87 percent of victims chose not to report their experiences to the police.

Victims cited insufficient evidence (48 percent), too late to report after the incident (38 percent) and concerns about no action being taken (27 percent).

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If spiking was explicitly illegal then 82 percent of the victims surveyed would be more likely to report incidents to police.

As the government attempts to modernise spiking laws, awareness of these legislative efforts remains low.

Six in 10 respondents have called for enhanced training for venue staff, and greater education regarding spiking awareness.

Just 11 percent of victims reported receiving supportive assistance from venue staff, while 65 percent expressed uncertainty about the appropriate course of action upon realising spiking had occurred.

Emily Driscoll, Head of Data, Intelligence & Planning at LADbible Group, said: "The results of this research highlight the urgent need for greater education, awareness, and action to address the concerning prevalence of drink spiking, especially amongst Gen Z.

"As a business, we are committed to using the scale and reach of our platforms, which reaches nearly six in ten 18–24-year-olds in the UK, to raise awareness and advocate for change to ensure the safety and well-being among young adults.”

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Dawn Dines, CEO and founder of Stamp Out Spiking, stated: "We firmly believe key safeguarding education is urgently needed to ensure the safety of partygoers across the UK.

"The numbers speak for themselves, with 60% of young adults supporting our mission, advocating for advanced training for venue staff and greater education regarding spiking awareness.”

The research was commissioned by LADbible Group and conducted through its consumer youth panel LADnation - a consumer youth panel consisting of over 55,000 Gen Z’s and Millennials.

It contributes to a broader campaign ‘End Spiking, Now’, advocating for speaking out against spiking incidents, including the original series 'Survivors of Spiking: Our Stories', which sheds light on the realities of the spiking epidemic.

Stamp Out Spiking is a charity seeking to change the law and help make spiking a specific criminal offence.

It is seeking to prevent and reduce the criminal act of spiking and related crimes through advancing public education - www.stampoutspiking.org

2,063 individuals aged 18-44 were surveyed for the research.