Spiking – broadening understandings to improve research and responses

Join us for this Joint MAEVe and UoM Criminology Seminar, where visiting Professor Nicole Westmarland presents on "Spiking – broadening understandings to improve research and responses"

In-person and online tickets available!

Location: Linkway Meeting Room, Level 4, John Medley Building (Building 191), Parkville Campus, University of Melbourne

Online: Zoom link provided upon registration

Abstract
Spiking refers to when a person uses alcohol (including putting alcohol or more alcohol into a drink without a person’s consent), prescription or over-­ the-­ counter drugs (such as sleeping tablets), and/or illegal drugs (such as cocaine, GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), or ketamine) to drug or poison a person without their consent. Drink spiking is the most common form of spiking, but other items including food, cigarettes, vapes, and needles/syringes can also be spiked. This presentation explores how the 2021 ‘needle spiking’ concerns unfolded in the UK, what we know about it (using police data and victim interviews), and how this can be used as a springboard to rethink previous and future research and responses to all forms of spiking.

Presenter Bio

Nicole Westmarland is Professor of Criminology at Durham University where she is also the Director of the Durham Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA). She has conducted over 50 research and consultancy projects in the field of domestic and sexual violence. She is the author of many books and articles on violence and abuse, including ‘Violence against Women: Criminological Perspectives on Men’s Violences’ (Routledge, 2015), ‘Researching Gender, Violence and Abuse: Theory, Methods, Action’ (Routledge, 2018) and ‘Men’s Activism to End Violence Against Women’ (Policy Press, 2021). She has held advisory roles including Special Advisor to the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights for their Inquiry into Violence against Women and Girls, the Victorian (Australia) Government’s Expert Advisory Committee on Perpetrator Interventions and Advisor to the House of Commons Behaviour Code Awareness Programme.