Staying Safe on a Night Out

Keep your drink safe

Spiking is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into your drink or your body without your knowledge or consent. As horrible as it is, it is a reality that spiking does happen in nightclubs.

There are a few things you can do to minimise the risk of spiking when you’re on a night out:

  • Never leave your drink unattended, and remind your friends to do the same. Get a fresh drink if you’re unsure – the risk is not worth a few quid.
  • Consider getting a drink cover/stopper to take with you on a night out. Some venues can provide them for you if you ask bar staff.
  • Don’t accept drinks from strangers or people you don’t fully trust.
  • Communicate with your friends throughout the night, and check in on each other. You might notice your friend was spiked if they suddenly seem much more drunk than expected, or seem confused, dizzy, drowsy, sick, or have memory gaps.
  • If something doesn’t feel right – in your drink, your body, or the situation – trust your instincts. The Ask for Angela scheme is a safety initiative in a lot of bars, clubs, and venues where you can discreetly ask staff for “Angela” if you feel unsafe, harassed, or uncomfortable – they’ll know you need help and will support you.
  • If you feel unwell, or think you or a friend may have been spiked, get help immediately. Tell venue staff or security straight away, most venues have a safeguarding policy and trained staff. Call 999 in an emergency or 111 for urgent medical advice.

Stay safe on your way home

Especially if you’ve had a bit to drink, getting home safely should be a top priority, and is something you can plan for before you even go out.

Here are some tips:

  • Buddy up – you are safer in a group. Staying with your friends is one of the most efficient ways to ensure your safety. Ask a friend to walk home with you, try not to walk alone at night, and especially avoid walking by the canals by yourself. Budget in some extra money for a taxi where it makes sense; you could even share one with friends and split the cost.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Try and stay in well-lit areas. Pay attention to traffic and other people, and avoid using headphones and looking down to your phone while you are walking at night.
  • Use the Hollie Guard App, a free safety app that turns your phone into a personal safety device. It enables you to protect yourself from violence and potential harm by alerting emergency contacts and instantly sharing your precise location with them. It can also capture evidence and has features that you can use to keep safe on dates, on journeys, and when exercising outdoors.
  • Communicate with your family, friends, and housemates. Tell them where you’re going and when you’ll be returning. You can use your phone to share your location with people to ensure someone knows where you are. Tell your friends and family what routes you usually take to get home. Make sure your phone is fully charged, and consider bringing a portable charger.

Party responsibly

In order to not just enjoy tonight, but all the parties to come, please look after yourself. We know a lot of you are living away from home for the first time, and the big city nightlife is super exciting, but as boring as it sounds – you want to make memories, not lose them.

A few pieces of advice:

  • Firstly, you do not have to drink alcohol. You simply do not. It’s no one else’s business what you do or don’t drink. If you find yourself being peer pressured by your mates, it might be worth having an open conversation about respecting each others choices and boundaries. You don’t owe anyone a justification, but if you really don’t feel like explaining yourself, there’s nothing wrong with holding a glass of sparkling water or a coke and just never mentioning it’s a non-alcoholic drink – no one will be the wiser.
  • If you do want to drink alcohol, eat a good meal before, pace yourself, and have some water between alcoholic beverages. Drinks at student parties may be cheap, but that doesn’t expand the limit of how much you can comfortably take. Stick with friends and keep an eye on each other throughout the night.
  • Take breaks between parties. Have a night in to recover, see a movie with your housemates, have a massive cook-out; there are loads of fun ways to connect that don’t involve going out. And you’ll be all the more ready to go at the next one!