Woman who had drink spiked praises new testing initiative

Emma Lavery, right, said she was spiked while on a night out with her friend Sarah Kavanagh, left

A woman who said she was spiked while on a night out in Belfast has praised a new initiative to help prevent drink spiking in bars and clubs across the city.

The last thing Emma Lavery can remember from the night she was spiked is ordering a drink.

She had to be told later by her friend Sarah Kavanagh how she passed out and hit her head off a table.

"I remember nothing. If we hadn't been together I don't know what would have happened," Ms Lavery said.

Spiking is the action of putting something into someone's drink without their consent

Emma and Sarah spoke to BBC News NI at the Harp Bar in Belfast, one of 33 venues taking part in the Drink Check initiative.

A collaboration between Queen's University Belfast and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the initiative involves equipping bars and clubs with specialist drink spiking test kits.

It was launched during Freshers Week after concerns about drink spiking were raised by students to the university's neighbourhood engagement team.

Sarah said being able to test your drink at the bar was a good idea and would make people feel a bit safer.

"It's wild places didn't have it already," she added.

The Queen's University graduates both said when they go out they keep an eye on each other's drinks, never leaving them unattended and always keep track of their friends.

Participating venues will display posters saying drink testing is available

Venues participating in the initiative are to display posters making it clear that drink testing is available.

They have also been supplied with drink testing strips.

If a customer believes their drink may have been tampered with, they can bring it to the bar where staff will check it using the test kits. If the test indicates spiking, the PSNI are notified.

All venues have also been provided with Ask for Angela materials, which allows patrons to use a code word to seek help from bar staff if they feel unsafe or vulnerable.

Amy Smith, Queen's Students' Union president, said the initiative was about prevention and reassurance.

"We know that spiking is a concern for students, so it's great to see the university listening and taking proactive steps to make sure it doesn't become an issue," she said.

"The Drink Check initiative is another way of making our city even safer."

Drink testing strips, like the one pictured here, can detect whether GHB, ketamine or numerous other drugs have been slipped into a drink

Erin Hawkins, a 27-year-old charity worker, who spoke to the BBC at another venue participating in the scheme, said drink spiking was part of a wider issue of violence against women in Northern Ireland.

"I would like to know why men are spiking drinks. I know a lot of people who have been spiked. The effect is they are scared to go out. Going out is seen as taking a risk," she said.

The initiative is being introduced at 33 bars in the city

PSNI Supt Allister Hagan said while they did not see evidence of widespread or routine drink spiking, they understood the concern it causes.

"Every report is taken seriously, and we have a bespoke response plan to both support victims and robustly pursue offenders," he said.

"This initiative provides reassurance that there is an additional safeguard for those enjoying the night-time economy, and it complements the wide range of harm prevention measures already in place."

In June, Justice Minister Naomi Long introduced legislative consent motions which will see some provisions of the Crime and Policing Bill being extended to Northern Ireland - including a new provision making spiking an offence.

"Spiking is a despicable act that leaves victims feeling violated, vulnerable and confused. Whilst spiking can happen to anyone, it is predominately an attack against women and girls, and one which often goes unreported," the Alliance Party leader said.

"I hope by making spiking an offence, it provides additional reassurance and protections to women and girls and will give victims the courage to report attacks to the PSNI."

Which Belfast venues are providing drink testing?

• 39 Gordon Street

• Beehive

• Benedicts

• Bootleggers

• Brennans' Bar

• Common Market

• Happy's Belfast

• Haymarket

• Kremlin

• Lavery's

• Limelight

• Liquid

• Lux Nightclub

• Revolution De Cuba

• Robinsons

• The Botanic Inn

• The Crown

• The Dark Horse

• The Dirty Onion

• The Duke of York

• The Empire

• The Harp Bar

• The Hatfield

• The Marcus Ward

• The Maverick

• The Parlour

• The Points

• The Queen's Students' Union Bar

• The Telegraph Building

• The Thirsty Goat

• Thompsons

• Wetherspoons

• White's Tavern