Drink spiking is one of those things many people think won’t ever happen to them; it’s something reserved for cautionary tales or a news headline in a foreign country. But the reality is far more confronting: it can happen anywhere, to anyone, and often in places we feel safest.
It’s not always a stranger in a dark corner. Sometimes it’s someone you’ve just shared a laugh with, or even someone you know. And the substances used are often colourless, odourless, and tasteless, making them almost impossible to detect without the right tools.
In many cases, the effects hit so quickly you barely have time to react.
In Australia, we don’t have a full picture of how common drink spiking is. We know that women are more likely to report it, that incidents involving men are on the rise (but underreported)—and that for the queer community, there’s almost no data at all.
But the absence of numbers doesn’t mean the absence of danger. If anything, it’s a reminder of how easily these incidents can go unnoticed, unreported, and unpunished.
T understands this all too well.
The founder of Melbourne-based queer not-for-profit Euphoria Social, T was on holiday with their wife, visiting a restaurant they knew well. It was the kind of place they kept going back to because it was familiar, comfortable, and full of good memories.
“We’d just had dinner with my mother-in-law and decided to stay for one more drink. I’d only had a quarter—maybe half—of my beer when I turned to my wife and told her something didn’t feel right. I wasn’t okay,” T shares with Not Safe For Queers.
Within minutes, T recalls that they lost movement in the lower half of their body. They couldn’t control their legs. Hoping to get back to their hotel quickly, they jumped into a tuk tuk. But instead of taking them the short distance home, the driver sped off in the wrong direction.
“I was completely incapacitated… My wife stood up in the back of the tuk tuk and started screaming for help.”
Thankfully, two Australian tourists on motorcycles saw what was happening, blocked the tuk tuk, and forced the driver to stop.
T believes they saved their lives, “drink spiking can happen to anyone—even when you’re somewhere familiar, even when you think you’re making safe choices.”
“I was drinking a local beer thinking that was a safer option than spirits. It wasn’t.”
Recognising the symptoms quickly can make a difference. Feeling more intoxicated than expected, sudden dizziness, confusion, slurred speech, nausea, or memory gaps are all warning signs.
In severe cases, you might experience difficulty breathing, muscle spasms, or even loss of consciousness. If this happens to you or someone you’re with, seek help immediately (whether that be from a friend, venue staff, or emergency services).
Of course, there are ways to lower your risk of falling victim to such a hurtful crime. Buy your own drinks and watch them being poured. Keep your drink with you at all times, and if you need to step away, have a trusted friend watch it. Avoid accepting drinks from strangers, and if you do, accompany them to the bar, watch carefully as your drink is poured and take it directly from the bartender.
Most importantly, however, if something tastes, smells, or feels off, trust your instincts and either check your drink (with something like a portable alcohol detection strip), or stop drinking altogether.
Alternatively, products that cover your drinks (like reusable ‘NightCaps’) offer a safer preventative option that can be used on both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for additional peace of mind.
In any case, T’s parting advice is simple: “Please, especially if you’re travelling overseas or backpacking alone, always stay vigilant.”
“Watch your drinks. Stick with people you trust. Keep your phone with you. You never think this will happen to you…until it does.”
Whether you’re in Melbourne, Madrid, or Manila, your safety matters and your drink should always be yours alone.
This article was written in collaboration with, and sponsored by, Safer Sips. Not Safe For Queers also extends our appreciation to T of Euphoria Social for telling their story.