Minister states violence against women happens everywhere, and new law will target spiking with jail time.
The safeguarding minister spoke with Ashna Hurynag. Existing laws already cover spiking. The new law will simplify reporting for victims. Phillips said the current laws are unclear. Victims and campaigners said this. They struggled to use the current laws. The UK has never been truly safe for women.
Phillips spoke about more media coverage. She wants to use this awareness for change. It won’t matter if it is Parliament or a pub. Sadly, violence against women happens everywhere. Spiking means giving someone drugs or alcohol. This happens without their knowledge or consent. It can be in a drink or via a needle.
Police got many spiking reports. There were 6,732 reports in England and Wales. This happened in the year up to April 2023. Of those, 957 involved needle spiking. London police saw a 13% increase in 2023. They recorded 1,383 spiking allegations.
The training program has government funding. The program started last week with £250,000. Staff learn to spot spiking signs. They also learn to prevent incidents. Gathering evidence is another goal. The program aims to train 10,000 staff by April. They will train staff at pubs, clubs and bars. This training is free.
Alex Davies-Jones discussed the issue. No one should feel afraid at night. People should not need extreme safety measures. He said spiking is despicable and illegal. The government aims to stop perpetrators. He wants victims to come forward. He stated the law supports victims. This helps them catch criminals.
Colin Mackie founded Spike Aware UK. The charity is happy with the government’s actions. Spiking can happen anywhere, he stated. These initiatives are a first step. They aim to make spiking unacceptable. Mackie urged people to report suspicious activity. Do not be silent regarding this crime.