An ex-Love Island Star has spoken out about the shocking incident in which she was left unable to breathe after her drink was spiked during lunch with friends.
Sharon Gaffka fell on the toilet, and she was discovered behind a closed cubicle door. Her drink had been tampered with during a birthday celebration for a friend.
Two male paramedics arrived, but she referred to her as someone who was ‘over-drinking’ and not a victim of spiking.
Ms Gaffka, who appeared on this year’s edition of the ITV dating programme, has collected more than 1,000 testimonies for the Home Affairs Select Committee as part of an inquiry into spiking.
Research has revealed that a third (or more) of all women are victims of spiking. Yet, only 8% of those who have been victim to the crime have reported it to police.
Sharon Gaffka was featured on Love Island this year and has more than 1000 testimonies of victims of drink spike after they were left with no breathing following an alcohol-related incident
Ms Gaffka said two male paramedics attended after she collapsed but passed her off as someone who had been ‘over drinking’ rather than a victim of spiking
Ms. Gaffka, speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain today said she had her drink spiked “five or six times” since she was 18.
According to her, MDMA was once given to her on one occasion. However, this was not the last time she had been injected with MDMA. She was going out with friends for lunch shortly after being released from lockdown.
At 7 p.m., Ms. Gaffka had been taken to hospital. She was unconscious in a cubicle after hitting her head on the toilet and fell asleep.
Good Morning Britain was told by her: “I believe we can remember exactly what drink it was, and I can pass myself off as quite responsible drinker. I also know my limits.
“I’m not prone to wander off once I have started to drink and such like, so when I left the table for 10 minutes it was alarming to my friends. They remembered that we went to the toilet together and that I did not come out.
Ms Gaffka stated that friends of hers went to the bathroom in an effort to locate her. After receiving no reply, they managed to open the door to her cubicle with a pound coins.
The paramedics found her ‘wedged in between the toilet and the door’ within the cubicle.
Richard Madeley, host, said that the paramedics said, “no, not, she has had too much to ingest, she should go to sleep it off.” So it was taken lightly.
Ms. Gaffka said, “No. Two male paramedics came to me, I believe.
“I believe the NHS and paramedics have had a lot more instances of people drinking, and you don’t know what that means.”
Ms. Gaffka stated that although the hospital in which she was admitted did not perform drug testing, she was told a week later to contact the police for further investigation.
“But, she explained, “But, you know who I am when I have been drinking,” she continued. “At this moment, I couldn’t even tell you where my body was.
Ms Gaffka said she has used the testimonies from other victims to meet with her MP David Wantage to discuss what she thinks can be put in place to help victims of spiking
Good Morning Britain health editor Dr Hilary Jones stated that the NHS is unable to perform every test of toxicology, ‘unless it’s subject to criminal investigation’. Police are already involved.
Ms. Gaffka claimed that, in collecting testimony from victims, she spoke to former and current police officers, who said “drinks, CCTV, can be collected but most establishments are more afraid about the repercussions on their business than they were the victim”.
She stated that she used other victim testimonies to bring David Wantage along to the meeting to hear her ideas about how to make spiking victims’ lives easier.
She demanded a more proactive legislative approach than reactive legislation, which would include better education at schools about the consequences of consent and spiking.
Home Affairs Select Committee currently collects evidence from victims involved in drink spiking. Submissions are due tomorrow.
After a report from the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner that found that spike cases are on the rise in recent months, 95 of them were recorded in November, Ms. Gaffka has now testified.
A number of figures showed that the percentage of crimes that were classified as ‘violence and injury’ was higher than 1 in 10.
According to research, only 7 percent of these people had a positive drug test.
Following a rise in Manchester’s drink-spiking cases people took to the streets with banners
The West Midlands Police stated that it had been speaking with scientists to try and understand the phenomenon of spiking.
According to the latest police report, only seven percent of these tests resulted from positive drug testing (although there could be other factors like alcohol spikes that might not indicate a positive test).
“These offenses are more often recorded without supporting evidence and information. There will be instances where overconsumption played a role or the desire not to admit that they took illegal substances.
Sean Phillips (detective superintendent), of the Public Protection Unit said that he wanted to make it clear to everyone about how they would respond to spike reports.
We investigate all cases of spiking. People should contact us if they suspect they have been spiked.
“Our latest rapid drug test kits are quickly becoming a favorite among casualties. They’re just one tool that we have. Our team is working with bars to enhance safety. The extra searches and ID check will help people see this.
Rhiannon Smith (a 19-year-old aspiring officer in police) described the moment her pulse stopped. Her friends then performed CPR on her for twenty minutes. This happened after she had been allegedly spiked at a club in Ormskirk in Lancashire.
Miss Smith (19 years old) said that she had drank three vodka Red Bulls in one at Alpine Club Lodge, Ormskirk. Her hearing became blurred and the room spun around.
Friends took her home and claimed that she had blue lips. She also said her pulse was erratic and she wasn’t taking in breaths as often as she used to.
The emergency responders instructed them to begin ‘lifesaving’ chest compressions. They did this for about 20 minutes before the patient was taken to the hospital.
After waking up in Southport and Formby District General A&E around 4am the next day Miss Smith said she was shocked to hear medics tell her ‘she’d just drank too much’ without running urine tests.
Rhyl in North Wales said that the teenager felt lucky to have survived. The whole thing is still a mystery to me and it doesn’t sink in.
Mia Robertson (18 years old) from Grimsby needed CPR because she had been allegedly spiked at Cleethorpes.
Rhiannon Smith, 19, (left, with her friend Jennie Clegg-Gibson, 21) said she drank three single vodka Red Bulls at Alpine Club Lodge in Ormskirk, Lancashire, on October 22 when her hearing suddenly became muffled and the room began spinning
After a Halloween night, Mia Robertson (18, Grimsby) needed CPR.
Grimsby Live was told by Ms Robertson that they went to a bar and had a beer before moving on to the smoking room. As I stood there, my legs became numb. One friend had to stand by me.
“They placed me on my stomach and informed me my eyes had gotten into my back. Then they took me outside.
‘Apparently I was unconscious on the ground and they couldn’t find my pulse so they called an ambulance. CPR was administered and I was rushed to Diana Princess Of Wales hospital.
The UK’s women took the stand in October and boycotted bars, nightclubs, and other venues. They demanded that they do more to prevent sexy revellers.
The “Girls Night In” movement was held in many cities for two weeks. There were reports of young women being spiked at nightclubs.
Priti Patel, Home Secretary of India demanded that police provide an immediate update on the investigation into the scale and causes of Britain’s spike epidemic.