Spiking statistics shock licensees during latest WAVE training event in Salisbury

Licensees and bar staff in Salisbury say they were shocked by the statistics they heard about spiking at the latest Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) and Licensing SAVI training event to be held in the city.

The free training, which is funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, shows bar and pub staff how to recognise signs of customer vulnerability, helping to prevent violent crime, sexual offences, and harm linked to drugs or alcohol.

As part of the training, they were informed about some statistics on spiking. A recent report by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University found that 90% of drink-spiking incidents are not reported to the police and that, in 2023, around 2.2% of the population had had their drink spiked. The last set of national police data, collected in 2022/2023, showed that police received 6,732 reports of spiking in the year ending April 2023, of which 957 were needle spiking.

It was explained during the session that drink spiking isn't just drug-related, but also includes drinks where additional shots had been added and examples where alcoholic beverages had been ordered instead of non-alcoholic versions. 

During the discussion, one licensee spoke about their experience of being spiked while they were on holiday and how it left them with little recollection of the previous day.

Ed Halford, the general manager of the Hetty Bells in Salisbury, said, "The stats about sexual assaults on women, spiking and the lack of reporting are horrific.  

"Something has got to change in the nighttime economy to make sure we can get that changed, and I feel this training is really helping"

During the training, the licensees were told what to do if there was a spiking incident at their venue and how to preserve evidence for the police.

Sarah McCall, a supervisor at the Market Tavern in Salisbury, said, "Finding out what to do if someone is spiked and what to do to be more on the ball to help the police was useful.

"The stats are quite shocking. The spiking cases were a lot higher than I thought, and the reporting was a lot lower."

The training also covered awareness of the 'Ask for Angela' scheme, which is active in many venues across Wiltshire and Swindon.

The scheme allows customers to signal for help if they feel unsafe discreetly.

Eren Bessem, from the Safer Business Network, which runs the WAVE Training, said, "Delivering WAVE training in Wiltshire has been a brilliant opportunity to strengthen local safeguarding and support frontline teams.

"The commitment from partners across the county has been outstanding, and it’s clear there’s a real drive to create safer spaces for everyone. WAVE gives staff the confidence to recognise vulnerability and respond effectively, and it’s been inspiring to see how positively people have engaged with the training, especially during the 16 Days of Activism.”