Needle spiking
Needle spiking (also called injection spiking) is a phenomenon initially reported in the UK and Ireland where people, usually young women, have found themselves apparently subjected to surreptitious injection of unidentified sedative drugs, usually in a crowded environment such as the dancefloor of a nightclub, and producing symptoms such as sedation and amnesia typical of date rape drugs. No verified toxicological results have been published showing the presence of known incapacitating agents in alleged victims, but many reported cases show physical evidence consistent with forcible injection, such as puncture marks with associated bruising, which are usually discovered some  time after the incident. The prevalence of genuine cases is unknown and has been controversial, with some experts expressing doubts as to how easily such injections could be carried out without it being immediately obvious to the victim. Incidents. 56 incidents of spiking by injection were recorded in September and October 2021. VICE News were informed of 274 reported cases between September-November in the UK by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). The NPCC said that zero cases had been confirmed. England. In Nottingham, where 15 reports of needle spiking were made in October, police identified one case where  a victim's injury "could be consistent with a needle". Three men were arrested following reports in Brighton and Eastbourne. In Yorkshire, people were kept inside a nightclub for two hours following allegations two women had been spiked with needles. In December 2021, Nottinghamshire Police Service had received 146 reports of suspected needle spiking. Nine arrests were made but no suspects were subsequently charged. Ireland. In Ireland, the Garda Síochána carried out multiple needle spiking investigations in October and November 2021. The first known report of needle spiking in Ireland was on 27 October when a woman was spiked with  a needle in a Dublin nightclub. Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, the PSNI began an investigation after a woman believed she was spiked with a needle in Omagh on 6 November. Social media claims. Claims of spiking by injection have been propagated on social media, alongside other claims of drink spiking. Reactions. Concerns have been raised by campaigners, politicians and student bodies. British home secretary Priti Patel has allegedly requested an urgent update from the police regarding these incidents. Boycotts and tougher checks. In response, a number of women from university cities decided to boycott nightclubs for "girls' nights in