What is the Spike Report? EYNTK about the community-led spiking database
We had the absolute privilege of chatting with Sophie Williams from Cosmopolitan magazine recently, who wanted to know everything there is to know about The Egalitarian’s Spike Report, and the importance of such a database.
Cosmopolitan is a long-standing magazine (seriously, we’re talking founded in the late 1800s… that is impressive) that puts out articles advising on relationships, sex, fashion and lifestyle, with a fierce focus on self-love and real-life experiences. We were honoured to be featured in a magazine that reaches thousands, if not millions, on a daily basis across the globe, especially as Cosmopolitan’s whole prerogative aligns so much with our own.
We had a chat with Sophie about our Spike Report, and what drove The Egalitarian to start something that hasn’t been done before. As most of us know, the influx in injection spiking in 2021 brought absolute devastation to the night-time economy, especially for women and marginalised genders; and so, the Spike Report was born. We wanted a way to provide an easily accessible and publicly viewable database that would allow individuals to find out where spikings are occurring and the methods used, along with how the venue and public services responded to the incident.
The article also offers advice on how to spot signs of inappropriate behaviour and spiking, and as a victim-focussed organisation our ultimate goal is (and always will be!) to make you feel safer and more able to protect yourselves against perpetrator behaviours.
If you’re interested to know what else we’ve been up to recently, the article does touch on the work we’ve been doing this year with Leeds Festival and El Dorado Festival as part of our Safe Place Project. The Egalitarian continues to evolve as we aim to make all sectors of the night-time economy safer and better equipped, including festivals.
Give the article a read to get up to speed, and head to our Spike Report if you have an experience to share.
