Nottinghamshire Police Launch Spiking Awareness Campaign

0:00On March 24th, Nottingham Shire police are ramping up efforts against drink and needle spiking with a new awareness campaign. They're using a mobile unit called the Digivon to visit public spots and student areas like the Arboridim and Linton. Officers chat with young people, hand out safety tips, explain how to report incidents and tell folks about free testing kits. Last year, police logged 140 spiking cases up from 124 the year before. Most victims were young women aged 18-21, but young men got hit too. Even with a drop from peak numbers in 2022, experts say many cases still go unreported. Victims often hesitate to come forward, especially of spiking ties into theft or sexual assault. That makes it tough to catch offenders and support those affected. The campaign aims to build trust and get more people talking. Now the forest joins a home office pilot starting April 1st for three months. It focuses on better intel, more reports and victim reassurance.

1:01Anyone suspecting spiking reports online first, for a reference number, then picks up multi-drug urine test kits at hospitals or health centers, not. Just police stations. Police stress, they take every report seriously, so if you spot suspicious behavior or think you've been spiked, call right away to preserve evidence and get help fast.