Drugging is more than simply an urban legend, as more and more people, young women in particular, are having their drinks spiked, leaving them in vulnerable, dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations. A recent survey from the American Addiction Center showed that out of 900 respondents, 44% of men and 56% of women said they’ve unknowingly had their drink spiked.
One such disturbing incident happened in Southend, Essex, where 18-year-old woman Millie Taplin was enjoying her night out in a nightclub called Moo Moo. Millie told the local news outlet: “I had a couple of sips, not a lot because it was a strong drink and I don’t like strong drinks!” But as soon as she got back, she fell very ill and had to be taken to hospital.
What followed was captured in the footage that showed Millie squirming on the hospital bed with her eyes wide open and her jaw clenched. The shots from the footage were initially shared by Millie’s mom on Facebook in a bid to educate young girls and “anyone really.” “It was the most disturbing sight of my daughter I have ever seen. We do not want anyone else to go through it,” the mom commented.
Image credits: Claire Taplin
Mom Claire hopes to educate people on the dangers of spiking and warns everyone to be very careful when out
Image credits: Claire Taplin
Millie added that she's never been so terrified in her entire life
Image credits: Millie Taplin
The incident happened when Millie had gone clubbing for the first time since she turned 18 on a Saturday night. According to Metro, Millie said the man offered her a vodka lemonade and told her to ‘try this’ at the Moo Moo nightclub in Southend, Essex.
But after a few sips, the 18-year-old felt very sick. "I had a couple of sips of the drink and went to the smoking area. I came back and felt like I'd drunk too much, and then I went outside to be sick," she told in an interview with The Mirror.
Here's the disturbing video of Millie suffering from a spiked drink
The victim of drugging added that horrifyingly, she was aware of her surroundings the whole time. "I knew everything going on. I could reply to people in my head but I couldn't get it out. It was really scary. In my head I was there but in my body I wasn't.”
According to her mom Claire, "She was sick and she couldn't see, she couldn't walk." Luckily, her friends then took her to A&E. The state lasted about three to four hours, and the teenager was discharged the next morning, The Mirror reports.
Image credits: Your Southend
Image credits: Your Southend
Image credits: Your Southend
Bored Panda reached out to Emily, the spokesperson of the Alcohol And Drug Foundation, who shared some useful information on what we should all know about spiking. “Usually, drinks are spiked with alcohol. Either the drink is stronger than you think, or someone has added even more alcohol,” she said and added that despite common belief, spiking with drugs like GHB and Rohypnol are quite rare and they’re usually depressants.
However, when it comes to keeping yourself safe, Emily stated that “nobody should ever feel like it’s their responsibility to prevent their drink being spiked. And it’s never a person’s fault if they’re the victim of a drink spiking incident.”Having said that, there are some practical tips to make sure your drink is safe throughout the night out. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation:
- have your drink close to you and keep an eye on it
- avoid sharing drinks
- if someone you don’t know very well offers you a drink, go to the bar with them and watch the bartender pour your drink
- if you think your drink tastes weird, pour it out
- buy or pour your own drinks—many people have their drinks spiked by someone they know
- keep an eye on your friends and their drinks
- if you’re a venue owner, install easily accessible water taps instead of having open water jugs.
If you suspect that your drink has been spiked, remember that you know your body better than everyone. “Trust your instincts,” Emily said. In this case, you should ask someone you trust to help you get to a safe place; if you’re not out with people you trust, talk to one of the venue staff or security; if you feel really unwell or have been sexually assaulted, go to an emergency department or the nearest hospital; ask your doctor to test for the presence of drugs—urine or blood tests can pick up traces of certain drugs up to 24 hours later; report the incident to police.
Millie told the press she now thinks twice about going out, which is "a shame because no one should have to feel like that"
Image credits: Claire Taplin
Image credits: Millie Taplin
Image credits: Millie Taplin
Many people felt disturbed by the incident, while others share their own experiences of spiking
