Drink Spiking Safety Guide for Festivals, Holidays and Nights Out

As a self-defence instructor of 40 years and a mother of four daughters, there's a conversation I've had more times than I can count — with parents, with young women, and with the girls in my classes who are just starting to spread their wings.

It's not the most comfortable conversation. But it might be one of the most important ones you ever have.

I'm talking about drink spiking.

Every summer, thousands of girls head to their first festival, their first girls' holiday, their first proper night out without mum and dad nearby. They're excited. They're trusting. They want to have the best time — and they absolutely should.

But they're also stepping into environments they've never navigated before. And the people who target them know that.

This post is for parents who want their daughters prepared. And it's for the girls themselves — so they know what to watch for, what to do, and how to protect themselves before anything goes wrong.

So keep reading for our drink spiking safety guide for festivals, holidays, nights out.

Why First-Timers Are More Vulnerable

It's not about being naive. It's about not yet having the experience to know what normal feels like in these situations.

A young woman on her first festival or holiday:

• Doesn't yet know her limits — making it harder to tell if she's feeling more affected than she should be

• Wants to fit in and be liked — making it harder to say no to a drink or to trust her instincts when something feels off

• Is in an unfamiliar environment — new people, new places, no familiar landmarks or routines to anchor her

• May not know the signs — because nobody ever told her what drink spiking actually looks and feels like

• May feel embarrassed to ask for help — worried about causing a scene or not being believed

This combination is exactly what makes young women going out for the first time a target. It's not their fault. But knowledge changes everything.

The Reality: It's More Common Than You Think

These are not worst-case-scenario statistics. This is the reality of social spaces in the UK right now.

• Over 1 million UK adults were estimated to be victims of drink spiking in 2025 — and 77% of those never reported it (YouGov, 2025)

• 70% of 18–24-year-olds have either experienced or witnessed drink spiking (LAD Bible Group research)

• 51% of young women aged 18–24 have been personally affected

• The majority of incidents happen in clubs and bars (54.8%) — and increasingly at festivals and holiday destinations

• 90% of drink spiking cases go unreported — often because victims feel ashamed, confused, or don't realise what happened until it's too late (Anglia Ruskin University)

The peak age group? Women in their late teens and early twenties. The very girls heading out for the first time.

What Is Drink Spiking?

Drink spiking is when someone adds alcohol or drugs to a person's drink without their knowledge or consent. It is a serious crime — whether or not anything further happens as a result.

The substances most commonly used include:

• GHB and GBL — often colourless and tasteless, sometimes with a faintly salty flavour

• Ketamine — a powerful sedative

• Benzodiazepines (like Rohypnol) — cause confusion, sedation, and memory loss

• Excess alcohol — a drink made far stronger than the person realises

Here's what makes it so difficult to detect: many of these substances are colourless, odourless, and tasteless. Your daughter may not notice anything is wrong until it's already affecting her.

How to Recognise the Signs

This is the section to share with your daughter before she heads to a festival, bar, club, girls' holiday, or anywhere drink spiking is a real risk. Make sure she knows what to look for — in herself and in her friends.

Warning signs that a drink may have been spiked:

• Feeling far more drunk than she should, given what she's had to drink

• Sudden dizziness or loss of balance

• Nausea or vomiting

• Confusion, difficulty concentrating, or not making sense

• Visual problems or blurred vision

• Feeling unusually drowsy or like she might pass out

• Memory gaps or blackouts

• Lowered inhibitions that feel out of character

The key thing to tell her: If something feels wrong, trust it. You don't need to be able to explain it. You just need to act.

What to Do If It Happens

It is not her fault. She has nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a crime.

Here's what to do — make sure she knows this before she ever needs it:

1. Tell someone she trusts immediately — a friend, a family member, or a senior member of staff at the venue

2. Stop drinking and move to a safe, public area

3. Call 999 or 111 if she feels seriously unwell or unsafe

4. Report it to the police — call 999 or 101 as soon as possible. Some drugs leave the body in less than 12 hours, so time matters

5. Do not go home alone. Stay with people she knows and trusts

6. Seek medical attention. A&E or a GP can test for substances — make sure she tells them she thinks she's been spiked

She does not need to have experienced further harm to report it. The spiking itself is the crime.

Prevention: One Simple, Affordable Step

When I made my recent reel about this, I talked about one practical tool I genuinely recommend — especially for festivals, holidays, and big nights out.

A drinks cover.

It fits over the top of a glass with a small slit for a straw. Once it's on her drink, nobody can drop anything into it without her knowing. It's lightweight, reusable, and discreet enough to carry everywhere — it won't take up space in a bag or get in the way.

Think of it this way: you learn self-defence to protect yourself. You use a drinks cover to protect your drink.

It's one of the most practical gifts you can give a daughter heading out for the first time.

Alongside a drinks cover, talk to her about these habits too:

• Never leave your drink unattended. If she does, she should pour it away and get a new one — always worth it

• Watch the pour. Watch the bartender pour the drink before taking it

• Don't accept drinks from strangers unless she watches them poured directly in front of her

• Use the buddy system. If one person dances, another stays with the drinks. Never split up when things feel off

• Hold the glass with a hand over the rim when standing in a crowd

• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong about a drink — the taste, the colour, how it's making her feel — stop drinking immediately and tell someone

• Have a plan before you go. Agree on a meet-up point, share locations, and have an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact saved in each other's phones

The Conversation to Have Before She Goes

You don't need to turn this into a lecture. Keep it short, keep it calm, and keep the focus on freedom — not fear.

Here's a simple starting point:

"I want you to have the best time. I also want you to know what to look out for — not because I think something bad will happen, but because I want you to be the kind of person who knows what to do if it does."

Then share this post with her. Talk through the signs together. Get her a drinks cover to take with her. And remind her that if anything ever feels wrong — she can always call you, no questions asked.

That last part might just be the most important thing you say.

Get Your Drinks Cover

I've sourced drinks covers specifically for this — lightweight, reusable, and discreet enough to always have on you.

They make a brilliant practical gift for a daughter heading to uni, off on her first holiday, or going to a festival this summer. Get one for her mates too — because the more girls in the group who are protected, the safer the whole group is.

Message me at  Chelle@senseichelleselfdefence.com  or visit  senseichelleselfdefence.com  to get yours. 💗

Want to Go Further?

A drinks cover is a great start — but real confidence comes from knowledge and preparation. This is why we teach self defence courses to women and girls all over the UK!

Local to East London? Join a Course

We run 6-week courses and 1-day intensives in Woodford, IG8 — for women and girls from age 14 upwards. Every session is women-taught, in a safe and supportive environment, with no experience needed.

 View upcoming course dates → senseichelleselfdefence.com 

We also run bespoke workshops for schools, colleges, and universities across the UK — so if you're a teacher or pastoral lead reading this, please do get in touch.

 Click here for more information 

Or get in touch to find out more:  Chelle@senseichelleselfdefence.com 

Not local? Book a Private Group Course

No matter where you are in the UK, I can come to you. If your daughter has a group of friends who'd benefit from this — whether they're heading to uni, planning a girls' holiday, or just want to feel more prepared — a private group course is a brilliant option.

Groups of 2 or more can book a private session at a location that works for them. It's practical, empowering, and tailored to the group — and it's one of the best things you can do together before a big trip or a new chapter.

 Click here for more infomation

Or get in touch to find out more:  Chelle@senseichelleselfdefence.com 

Stay aware. Stay confident. Stay you. 💪

— Sensei Chelle

Please share this post. If you know a parent with a daughter heading out this summer — to a festival, on holiday, or just on her first proper night out — this could be the most useful thing they read all year.

Sources: YouGov (2025) | Drinkaware Monitor 2025 | Gov.UK Spiking Factsheet | Anglia Ruskin University Study | LAD Bible Group Research | UK Parliament Home Affairs Committee Report on Spiking