A female student at university has shared the story of how she was spiked with a needle by two friends in a nightclub. It left her left arm feeling numb.
According to police, they are currently investigating the attack on the three women at Fiction in Swansea (south Wales) on Wednesday night.
Olivia Chapman, a first-year law student, said that she felt’very groggy after being jabbed on her left arm.
She said that even though she had drunk ‘four or five’ vodka, lemonades, Sambuca and two shots of Sambuca in the course of the evening (between 9pm on Wednesday and 3am Thursday), it didn’t make her feel drunk.
She said that she can tolerate drinking and that it is not too much for me to drink in six hours. “It wouldn’t affect me, but I felt very groggy and like I’d drunk far more than I did.”
South Wales Police confirmed they are investigating the incident. They also stated that they take reports of this type’seriously.
Swansea University student Olivia Chapman believes that she and two of her friends were slapped in the arm during a night out in the capital.
Ms. Chapman (pictured), Maidstone Kent, said she and two of her friends went to hospital after they went numb in their arms.
The group of ten friends went out to Fiction nightclub in Swansea. Three of them believe they were stabbed in the arm while they were there. South Wales Police launched an investigation and took blood samples from each victim.
Olivia, originally from Maidstone, Kent, was part of a group of 10 friends made up of six men, four women, and all first-year students at Swansea University.
After having visited a bar in the area, the group headed to Fiction at 11pm.
At 3am, they left the club. Two of her friends, whom we won’t identify, complained that their arms were getting numb.
Olivia said, “They both said that their arms had gone to bed so we jumped in a taxi to take us to the hospital to have it checked out.”
“On the way there, I noticed that my left arm began to feel numb.” I couldn’t feel anything in my left hand and then we noticed puncture marks in our arms from where the needles had been inserted.
The women were seen at Morriston Hospital by doctors in the emergency department who took blood samples.
The doctors also contacted South Wales Police, and officers interviewed the women at the hospital.
Olivia stated that they didn’t leave the hospital until 8 a.m., and then the officers came to our flats where they took the clothes we had worn that night.
“We’re still waiting on the results of the blood test.
“I had read about women being spiked with needles so I was cautious. But the club was packed because it’s student night. I don’t remember anyone poking me, but there were many people around.
‘The security was a joke. My male friends were not frisked, and none of the girls had to have their handbags checked.
“I’m still in total shock over the entire thing. I’m far too scared to return to a nightclub now. It will be a while before I go back to a club, and only when I feel more secure.
“We need laws to force clubs to thoroughly search every person who enters.
“How is it possible that someone can go into a club and spike people?”
Students plan to boycott nightclubs as part of nationwide protests. More than 30 universities are participating in the campaign to make venues more safe.
More than 130,000 people signed a petition calling for nightclubs to thoroughly search their customers upon arrival after reports of needle-spiking in Nottingham.
Over the next fortnight, the Girls’ Night in campaign will be spread across 43 universities towns and cities. It is in response to a rise in drinks being “spiked” and a disturbing trend of girls being unknowingly injected with drugs.
Victims may have fallen ill while out and only realized they were being injected when they saw ‘pin pricks’ on their bodies.
Participants in the boycott will remain at home on a designated night to raise awareness about the attacks and encourage security venues to improve security.
According to a snap poll conducted by The Alcohol Education Trust, new figures also show that 15% of females, 7% of males, 17% of those identifying with other, and 17% have had their drink spiked.
The survey was open for one week starting on October 12th and received 747 responses. It asked: “Do you think that you have ever had one your drinks spiked?”94 people answered yes and 26 said’maybe’.
Helena Conibear was the CEO of The Alcohol Education Trust.
“This snap poll of 750 young adults confirms all the trends that we have been hearing: the shocking fact one in eight young women has experienced spiking, and that it is happening as often as at night time economics. Most people don’t report spiking right now because they fear they won’t be believed, are unsure what happened, or feel it was too late.
She stated that despite the fact that 50% of cases of drink-spiking were reported, they weren’t investigated further. This is perhaps not surprising. If we are going to tackle drink spiking we ask everyone to please report it to the venue, police or go to A&E.
“Try to keep the drink as evidence, and ask for a urine or blood test. Anyone thinking it is funny to spike someone’s drink can be reminded that it is a serious criminal offense with a maximum ten year sentence and sometimes a devastating effect on victims’ lives.
Sharon Chapman was worried about Olivia’s health and said that she was ‘worried sick” for her daughter.
Mrs Chapman said that Olivia is in complete shock. She is shocked that someone could come up to her and insert a needle into her arm.
“She is in a terrible place. I’ve spoken to my friend several times on the phone and she is panicked.
“My husband spoke to the owners of this nightclub and they are also looking at it.
“I heard about such incidents on the news a couple weeks ago and I told our daughter to be careful when she was outside.
“She had previously told me that she was concerned by the lack of frisking at venues when people were admitted.
“Security at these venues should be much more rigourous, because this seems to have been happening with increasing alarming regularity.”
South Wales Police spokesperson said last night: “We received reports that someone was spiked at Little Wind Street, Swansea on Wednesday, Oct 20.
“Officers are investigating the report and inquiries continue.” We take all reports like this seriously and encourage anyone who thinks they might have been a victim to spiking, to contact South Wales Police.
Four women in Exeter reported to police that they believed they had been spiked at nightclubs. Police did not find any evidence of date rape drugs in three women, while the fourth woman reported the alleged incident too late for them to recover a sample (picture posed with models).
Detectives investigating three cases in which women reported being spiked with needles in Exeter during night outs have stated that forensic tests did not find any evidence of date rape drugs.
The women reported feeling unwell while they were in bars and nightclubs in Exeter.
Devon and Cornwall police collected samples from the three women and performed toxicology tests. There was no evidence that they had been spiked, ‘drugged in a different manner’.
Officers said that they wanted the women to feel reassured and have ‘peace of heart’.
According to The Times, a fourth complaint was ‘outside of the forensic window’. This means that it was impossible for her to test her urine or blood because too much time had passed between the alleged drugging.
The investigation was initiated by officers after the women complained of being ‘targeted with assaults using needles’ or drinking spiked drinks.
A spokesperson for the police said that: “We hope the clear test will give peace to these women that they weren’t victims of spiking.”
Kirsty, 25, shared a photo from her hospital room after she was spiked. Victims are drugged without their knowledge in Swansea on one evening.
This is after Kirsty Howells (25), was seen unconscious in a hospital bed following being ‘injected’ with Ketamine. She was one of many women who reported being’spiked’ in nightclubs.
Miss Howells posted this photo taken in hospital after a night in Swansea.
It was shared on Facebook by her aunt, who said Ms Howells is thought to have been ‘injected with ketamine’, before being rushed to A&E by her boyfriend.
Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, Divisional Commander for Brighton, said officers are speaking to two victims who felt unwell after a night out in the city on Tuesday night, October 19, and the early hours of Wednesday morning, October 20
He stated that they suspect they were injected. They are being assisted by officers.
“We are still at an early stage of our investigation and many inquiries are being made.
“We take all reports seriously and encourage anyone who suspects they may have been a victim of spiking to contact our office. We encourage everyone to report any suspicious behaviour online, via 101 or by calling 999 in an urgent situation.
Ilana El-baz, 20, shared that she was semi-paralysed after returning from a Bristol nightclub. She shared a recording of her struggling to climb the stairs and her eyes rolling as she falls into the railings.
As part of their continuing work policing the night-time market, officers are increasing patrols. They will also continue to work closely alongside licensed premises and partners on initiatives that help keep patrons safe.
Ch Supt.
“Everyone should feel safe and secure. There will be officers on patrol throughout the city this weekend to help you enjoy yourself.
“Our Licensing Teams work hard with venues to raise awareness of spiking and ensure that appropriate measures are in effect to prevent it from happening.”
Many women have shared their stories about being spiked. Ilana El-baz (20) recalled how she was left semi-paralysed’ while climbing a staircase three weeks ago after returning home from a Bristol club.
Today, two teenagers aged 18-19 were arrested in Nottingham on suspicion that they conspired to administer poison. A 35-year-old man was arrested last night in Lincoln on suspicion that he had drugs with the intent to administer them.
Kirsty is from Swansea and was enjoying a drink earlier in the month when she was taken unconscious by an unknown substance. She said that she was’very shaken up’ and was now ‘anxious to go out drinking again anytime soon.
Students plan to boycott nightclubs as part of nationwide protests. More than 30 universities are participating in the campaign to make venues more safe.
More than 130,000 people signed a petition calling for nightclubs to thoroughly search their customers upon arrival after reports of needle-spiking in Nottingham.
Over the next two weeks, the Girls’ night in campaign will reach 43 cities and towns across 43 universities. It is in response to a rise in drinks being “spiked” and a disturbing trend of girls being unknowingly injected with drugs.
Victims may have fallen ill while out and only realized they were being injected when they saw ‘pin pricks’ on their bodies.
Participants in the boycott will remain at home on a designated night to raise awareness about the attacks and encourage security venues to improve security.
According to The Alcohol Education Trust, new figures also show that 15% of females, 7% of males, 17% of those identifying with other, and 17% have had their drink spiked.
The survey, which was open for a week from October 12 and had 747 responses, asked: ‘Do you think you have ever had one of your drinks spiked?’, with 94 replying yes and a further 26 saying ‘maybe’.
According to the US National Center for Biotechnology Information Rohypnol and GHB are two of the most prominent ‘date rape’ drugs used by criminals.
According to the NCBI with GHB, as little as 2g (which is often a powder that can mixed in an alcoholic beverage) can cause deep sleep within minutes.
The half-life is 27 minutes. The drug is almost impossible after 96 hours.
Experts warn Rohypnol is a powerful sedative that can be used as a pre-anaesthetic, or as a sleeping pill.
It can be used as a rape drug for dates. It can affect a victim in ten minutes, and peak eight hours later.
It is colorless, odourless, tasteless, and causes sedation and euphoria within 20-30 minutes of ingestion.