Spiking - everyone needs to know this! ??

We hope you've had a great summer! Here are this month's essential safety tips:

1. Inside the murky world of online dating - 21 tips for safer online dating

2. Spiking - everyone needs to know this!

3. Self Defence Q&A: My daughter is going travelling and I'm worried about hotel safety! Hear what Dene has to say.

We hope this advice is helpful to you - please feel free to share it.

Plus, registration opens soon for our new live group coaching program! Find out more below.

21 Tips to Stay Safer Online Dating

We were recently asked how to stay safe online dating and on dating apps, so here are our 21 tips for safer online dating.

Statistics tell us that the online dating world can be challenging:

• With approximately 1 in 10 online dating profiles being fakes
• No criminal records checks
• And around a third of people on dating apps reporting harassment or abuse from someone they met on an app.

What’s more, cases of sexual assault and rape are reported by people using online dating apps, with sexual predators using these apps to profile and target their next victims.

However! Not everyone on online dating is a psychopath!

You can have a safe and fun experience if you follow some online dating safety tips.

Read our 21 tips in our online dating blog.

Spiking - everyone should know this!

We've recently been discovering more about spiking, thanks to a great charity Stamp Out Spiking . Here's what you need to know

Firstly - be aware - it's not just young women who are spiked, it can happen to anyone, including:

• School children
• Students
• People in the LGBTQ+ community
• Men of all ages
• Women of all ages.

Here is an account that a man shared with Stamp Out Spiking:

How does spiking happen?

1. Spiked drinks - unattended drinks, drinks given to you, and even spiked while the drink is in your hand or 'friends' adding shots into your drink without your knowledge.
2. Spiked vapes - vapes offered to you e.g. at festivals or events, buying 'cheap' vapes from unregulated sources, under-age children buying vapes from people.
3. Spiked food - cakes, brownies, gummies.
4. Needle spiking - a sharp scratch on your arm or body in a crowded pub or club.

Did you know ...

• There were 957 needle spiking reports to UK police between May 2022 and April 2023

• 97% of victims don't report being spiked to the police

(Survey by StopTopps in 2021)

• 70% of 18–24 year-olds have either experienced or witnessed drink spiking, with over half of females (51%) and 69% of LGBTQ+ individuals affected

(Report from LADbible Group and Stamp Out Spiking)?

• Out of 596 vapes confiscated in schools in England, 16.6% contained the drug, spice - indicating that school children are unknowingly smoking a dangerous drug that can cause cardiac arrest.

(University of Bath Survey, 2024)

What to do if you think you have been spiked

1. Act quickly
2. Tell a trusted friend, bar staff or security
3. Don't leave the venue or go off with anyone you don't know
4. Call 999 if you can
5. Report it to the police and get tested quickly before the drug leaves your body

What you can do now

Share this information with friends, colleagues and family - awareness is a key part in avoiding becoming a victim of spiking.

Take a look at the resources provided by Stamp Out Spiking, which include training, awareness posters and links to where you can buy drink toppers.

https://stampoutspiking.org/

Notice any unusual behaviour in people you are out with - e.g. 'drunk' very quickly, disoriented, dizzy, blurred vision, confusion. Act on it quickly and get them some help.

SELF DEFENCE Q&A

"My daughter is going travelling and I'm worried about hotel safety!"

We have a playlist on our YouTube Channel to answer your safety and self defence questions.

Find it here: Q&A Playlist and subscribe to see the latest videos.

In this latest video, Dene, who is a seasoned traveller from many years of bodyguarding and providing private security in hostile environments, gives his tips for hotel safety.

Congratulations A-Level Students!

Congrats to students on their A-Level results.

If you have a teen who is heading off to uni, check out our online course 'How to Stay Safe at Uni'.

This is a great course to watch as a family or you can gift it to your teen - simply choose 'gift' at checkout and add their email.

Learn self defence, street safety and how to secure your accommodation. Visit our website for more info.

https://www.streetwisedefence.com/self-defence-university-students

LIVE ONLINE GROUP COACHING PROGRAM

'FROM FEAR TO FREEDOM!'

Registration for our live online coaching program opens soon - , if you haven't already done so, join the waiting list to be the first to know!

Starting in October, our online coaching program teaches you self defence over 3 weeks.

You'll experience 3 live coaching sessions with self defence instructor and security expert, Dene Josham.

Empower yourself with the knowledge, skills and mindset to stay safe and feel confident.

Find out how it works, what's included and how you'll benefit on our website. And, don't forget to join the waiting list to be the first to know when registration opens.

Want to experience our self defence workshops?

Speak to Julie Waite or Dene Josham to find out about our violence prevention, street safety and self defence workshops for businesses, schools, universities, community groups and individuals.

https://www.streetwisedefence.com