Love Island star Sharon Gaffka says 'stop blaming victims' after drink spiking left her unconscious

Sharon Gaffka said she was scared to ask for help in the days after her friends found her unconscious in a toilet cubicle, as Leyla Hayes reports

A former Love Island contestant who was found unconscious after her drink was spiked has said society should "stop blaming victims" as new data shows almost 5,000 spiking incidents were reported to the police in one year.

Sharon Gaffka told ITV News she was too scared to ask for help in the days after her friends found her unconscious in a toilet cubicle from her drink being spiked during a lunch in July 2020.

"I was out celebrating a friends birthday and it wasn't different to any other outing we have had, except this time I left in the back of an ambulance," Ms Gaffka told ITV News Meridian.

"I remember waking up in A&E and having four drips attached to me... it wasn't really until the next day that the penny really dropped."

The 27-year-old from Oxfordshire, who found fame on the seventh series of hit ITV2 dating show last year, said she felt "ashamed and embarrassed" in the days following the incident.

"My biggest regret is that I didn't report it to the police," she said.

"I pride myself in being a very responsible drinker and a responsible young woman on a night out because I know what can happen if you let your guard down.

"My friend said to me that when paramedics came they just treated me as if I was an irresponsible drunk person and I think that made me even more scared to tell people how I felt and what had really happened.

"I want society to stop blaming victims, it's never their fault. It's not what I'm wearing, it's not where I am, it's the perpetrator and the perpetrator only."

Ms Gaffka's experience comes as almost 5,000 cases of needle and drink spiking incidents were reported to police over the course of a year, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) has said.

But campaigners say this isn't accurate as people aren't reporting spiking incidents to the police as they're either too embarrassed or didn't know it was a crime.

Some 4,924 reports were made to UK police forces in the 12 months to September, and, among the 800 tests carried out so far, the most common drugs detected were cocaine, ketamine and MDMA.

However, only 3% of cases were found to “contain a controlled drug which supports a spiking incident”.

The most common incident was spiking by needle, with 2,581 cases reported to police, closely followed by drink spiking at 2,131 cases.

Some 212 reports were made concerning “other spiking” – for example in cigarettes and food.

Ms Gaffka said she wants venues to be better trained for dealing with spiking incidents and how to identify the signs that someone has been spiked.

"I also want the police to work better with venue managers," she added.

"I think venues are often scared or they think they might be penalised if they repeat offence, when actually there are ways to work together to tackle it and move forward together."

The NPCC’s lead for tackling violence and against women and girls, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, said police have “increased action” against spiking through measures like having undercover detectives in bars.

She said: “Behind each of these reports is a frightened victim whose night out has turned into a nightmare. I know from talking to victims of spiking how utterly terrifying it can be.

“Police forces have increased action against spiking, with uniformed and covert operations in bars and clubs, working alongside venues to prevent and investigate spiking.”

Ms Blyth added that spiking is a “complex and challenging” offence to investigate because drugs pass through the system quickly, meaning there is often limited evidence.

Jayne Butler, CEO Rape Crisis England & Wales said spiking is a serious crime that can leave victims and survivors feeling "frightened and disorientated".

"If you suspect you have experienced spiking you might be unsure what has happened to you, have vague memories, or feel confused," she said.

"No matter the circumstances, you are not to blame and support is available.

"Rape Crisis workers can help you to make sense of your feelings, support you to make any appointments such as medical examinations or forensic tests, and offer choice around whether you would like to report to the police."

Ahead of New Year’s Eve parties, police have advised anyone who is concerned that they could have been spiked to report the incident as quickly as possible.

Advice to help avoid drink spiking

• Never leave your drink unattended, whether it’s alcoholic or not

• Don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know

• Avoid drinking too much

• Stick together with friends, and look out for each other

What should I do if I think I've been spiked?

• Call 999 or 101 to report it to the police.

• If you are out in a bar or club, you can report to a member of staff, who will be able to help and support you.

• If you are injured or have symptoms you are worried about after being spiked, call NHS 111.

• If you think you've been sexually assaulted, you can go to your nearest sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for specialist care and support. At a SARC you can receive a medical or forensic examination (whether or not you decide to report to the police).

• If you've been affected by crime and you need confidential support or information, you can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.

What happens when I am tested?

• If police feel it's appropriate, they will take a non-invasive urine sample. Some drugs leave the body in a very short time (within 12 hours), so it's important to test as soon as possible.

• Other drugs remain in the body longer, so testing will be considered up to seven days after the incident. The test the police use is the most effective way of finding out whether you have been spiked.

• If you are tested in a hospital or by your GP, you will need to also have a police test, as this is what can be used as evidence to support charges or convictions.

• If you tell the police how much you have drunk and whether you have voluntarily taken drugs, we will be able to provide a more accurate result.

• It is not a crime to have illegal drugs in your system (unless you are driving), so please don't let this stop you reporting spiking.

• The test results will come back in three weeks and will be discussed with you.

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