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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/25/labour-hardens-policy-on-spiking-drinks-to-boost-tough-on-credentials-keir-starmer
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| Labour hardens policy on spiking drinks to boost ‘tough on crime’ credentials | Labour hardens policy on spiking drinks to boost ‘tough on crime’ credentials |
| (4 months later) | |
| Keir Starmer calls for specific offence as part of broader pledge to tackle violence against women and girls | Keir Starmer calls for specific offence as part of broader pledge to tackle violence against women and girls |
| Keir Starmer has pledged to make spiking drinks a standalone offence as Labour seeks to bolster its “tough on crime” message. | Keir Starmer has pledged to make spiking drinks a standalone offence as Labour seeks to bolster its “tough on crime” message. |
| The Labour leader said the offence was needed and thought the government was “wrong” to dismiss calls for the law to be introduced. | The Labour leader said the offence was needed and thought the government was “wrong” to dismiss calls for the law to be introduced. |
| As part of a broader pledge to tackle violence against women and girls, he told ITV’s This Morning: “Drinks are spiked … usually of young women out and about and the spiking of the drink has an effect on them and is often a step towards sexual assault of some sort. | As part of a broader pledge to tackle violence against women and girls, he told ITV’s This Morning: “Drinks are spiked … usually of young women out and about and the spiking of the drink has an effect on them and is often a step towards sexual assault of some sort. |
| “And that has never been a specific offence, so what I’m saying today is an incoming Labour government would make it a specific offence. That would make it easier for people to come forward and report what’s happened and easier to prosecute but also raise awareness of what’s going on.” | “And that has never been a specific offence, so what I’m saying today is an incoming Labour government would make it a specific offence. That would make it easier for people to come forward and report what’s happened and easier to prosecute but also raise awareness of what’s going on.” |
| The move comes amid an increasingly acrimonious – and personal – war of words between the prime minister and the Labour leader as both seek to portray the other as “soft on crime”. | The move comes amid an increasingly acrimonious – and personal – war of words between the prime minister and the Labour leader as both seek to portray the other as “soft on crime”. |
| Starmer has faced criticism for attack ads suggesting Sunak has let child sex offenders walk free while a mailout to Conservatives on Monday claimed Starmer had a “soft spot for criminals”. | Starmer has faced criticism for attack ads suggesting Sunak has let child sex offenders walk free while a mailout to Conservatives on Monday claimed Starmer had a “soft spot for criminals”. |
| Last year, campaigners who have called for a specific offence for spiking for many years told an inquiry by MPs that said drink- and drug-spiking had reached “epidemic” levels in the UK and was so common it can happen to anyone. | Last year, campaigners who have called for a specific offence for spiking for many years told an inquiry by MPs that said drink- and drug-spiking had reached “epidemic” levels in the UK and was so common it can happen to anyone. |
| The Commons home affairs select committee was told that up to 15% of women and 7% of men had been spiked with alcohol or drugs. | The Commons home affairs select committee was told that up to 15% of women and 7% of men had been spiked with alcohol or drugs. |
| Nearly 5,000 cases of needle and drink-spiking incidents were reported to police in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2022, compared with 1,903 crimes that could be linked to spiking in 2019. | Nearly 5,000 cases of needle and drink-spiking incidents were reported to police in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2022, compared with 1,903 crimes that could be linked to spiking in 2019. |
| But the number of proven cases remains low. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine told the inquiry: “The academic literature that exists on spiking in the UK concludes that the majority of people who present to EDs [emergency departments] with concerns about spiking usually do not have illicit drugs in their blood or urine samples.” | But the number of proven cases remains low. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine told the inquiry: “The academic literature that exists on spiking in the UK concludes that the majority of people who present to EDs [emergency departments] with concerns about spiking usually do not have illicit drugs in their blood or urine samples.” |
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| Spiking is covered by several different offences, but campaigners and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners have argued it would be better tackled as a specific offence. The government has previously said the move was “unnecessary”. | Spiking is covered by several different offences, but campaigners and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners have argued it would be better tackled as a specific offence. The government has previously said the move was “unnecessary”. |
| Dawn Dines, the CEO and founder of Stamp Out Spiking, said a new offence would “provide protection and hopefully some justice for past victims, but most importantly it will safeguard the public against the actions of the perpetrators”. | Dawn Dines, the CEO and founder of Stamp Out Spiking, said a new offence would “provide protection and hopefully some justice for past victims, but most importantly it will safeguard the public against the actions of the perpetrators”. |