Bar staff to be trained to deal with incidents of drink spiking

Bar staff will be trained to deal with incidents of drink spiking under government plans to tackle violence against women and girls.

Workers in the night-time economy will be instructed on how to spot and prevent cases as well as help "collect evidence" under a new pilot programme to be rolled out from December, Number 10 announced.

The plan is for up to 10,000 bar staff across the country to be trained by spring next year.

Further details will be discussed at a meeting in Downing Street on Monday between the prime minister and chief constables, transport bosses and industry executives.

Sir Keir Starmer said: "My government was elected on a pledge to take back our streets, and we will never achieve this if women and girls do not feel safe at night.

"Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home."

He added: "Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission.

"We know it can be incredibly difficult for victims to come forward to report this awful crime, and these cases can be very hard to prosecute. We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice."

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The Labour Party pledged in its manifesto to introduce a new offence for spiking, but there has been little detail about it since.

Spiking is already a crime that falls under assault, but campaigners say creating a specific offence will help stamp it out by showing a "zero tolerance" approach.

London's Metropolitan Police said reports of spiking increased by 13% in 2023, with 1,383 allegations.

Sir Keir reaffirmed his commitment to the manifesto pledge on Monday, which the government says is part of its promise to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade.

It is unclear when the legislation will be introduced, but ministers and officials are understood to be working to bring it forward as soon as possible.

Monday's meeting will also hear about tactics already being deployed by police, with 20 forces in England and Wales sending plain clothes officers to areas around bars and clubs to spot predatory behaviour.

Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi, of British Transport Police, will highlight the relaunch of the text-to-report number, 61016, which is now free across all major networks and invites women to contact the force for help in the event of harassment on the train.

Other figures attending the meeting include Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality and chairwoman of the Institute of Licensing, and Chief Constable Maggie Blythe, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for VAWG.

(c) Sky News 2024: Bar staff to be trained to deal with incidents of drink spiking