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*The following article contains discussion of sexual assault.
Going out for drinks can be a fun night out, but it can also be dangerous. As a part-time bartender on Twitter pointed out, it’s really easy for someone to mess with your drink.
Katherine Abughazaleh—a Media Matters correspondent—shared what she experienced when someone spiked her drink. She’s doing okay now, but is concerned with how easily it happened.
She shared her experience in the hope it can help others.
\u201cSomeone drugged my drink this weekend.\n\nHere\u2019s are some symptoms of a spiked drink that I wish I knew beforehand (and was never told):\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
While she’s fine now, Abughazaleh didn’t share her story right away.
Part of it was out of a fear it would look like she was trying to get sympathy. Part of it was she needed time to piece together what exactly happened.
From there, she went into symptoms she experienced.
\u201cI woke up incredibly confused in the morning because I have never totally blacked out in my life, even on my craziest nights.\n\nApparently this is very common. If you\u2019ve never blacked out before but suddenly lose hours of memory after a couple of drinks, that\u2019s a HUGE red flag.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201cI didn\u2019t feel normalish until Sunday night. I slept over 12 hours that night and then called my doctor who said my symptoms aligned with a drug rather than simply being drunk.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
There’s a lot you can do to try and protect your drink, but it’s almost impossible to be completely safe.
Drinking in public settings has its own set of risks, but keeping your wits about you after the fact is important too.
Even though Abughazaleh is a bartender herself, she still fell victim to this. All she had was a single drink after shift.
But luckily someone was able to walk her home.
\u201cI have no idea who did it. I was getting a single drink alone after my bar shift at my local bar. And next thing I knew, I was awake in my bed, on my side, with vomit down the front of my shirt.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201cI\u2019m fine. I\u2019m good. I was lucky someone saw something wrong and insisted on walking me home.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
The information provided was discussed widely on Twitter.
\u201c@abughazalehkat Thanks for sharing. Trying to educate my girls on this before they get any older.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201c@AriDrennen I\u2019m just floored by how many people have had this exact thing happen to them. Horrifying shit :(\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201cI don\u2019t know what else to say except, #MeToo sending so much love to you @abughazalehkat and all the others who\u2019ve experienced this and we\u2019re forever changed.\u201d— Danielle Shea (@Danielle Shea) 1660778758
\u201c@LovinCanada @abughazalehkat Men get this weird feeling like admitting there\u2019s a problem will somehow make them a part of the problem when it\u2019s really the opposite\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201c@Kelly_Wohlford @abughazalehkat @FeasterFamine Happened to me once too\n\nWas sipping beer & playing pool at a lesbian bar with some acquaintances\n\nFelt queasy half way thru my beer & decided to leave, crashed my car into a loading dock a few blocks from the highway on-ramp then crawled in the back seat & passed out\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
People trying to drug someone’s drink is not uncommon.
But if you’re lucky, someone else will recognize what’s going on and step in to help.
Abughazaleh had that, which she says is the reason she’s okay today. But a lot of people need to be aware of the signs and know what to do after it happens.
Which some commenters were quick to provide.
\u201c@saabelieves @abughazalehkat @AMWClarkLaw I was drugged by the bartender when he opened the beer bottle. The only people who believed me were my friend who got me home and told my roommate, and the ER nurse who had a yelling match with the doctor. 3oz of Miller lite is not enough to cause vomiting and convulsions.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201cI wish there wasn\u2019t a reason to rt, but this is so important\u201d— Kelly Douglas (@Kelly Douglas) 1660845061
\u201c@Nancymagill like jfc I just wanted a drink after being on my feet for 10 hours. No one should have to be hyper vigilant every second they're in public.\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
\u201cI can\u2019t stick a \u201clike\u201d on this, but I hope you\u2019ll read it and pass it along to every woman you know.\u201d— Alana Dill - Writer and Artist (@Alana Dill - Writer and Artist) 1660794207
\u201c@MaryMaryh916 @abughazalehkat This is the thing that scares me. That someone you know well and is a friend could do this. Obviously this is who he was all along and he managed to keep it hidden\u201d— Kat Abu (@Kat Abu) 1660680918
According to “Just Think Twice,” a government run website with information about drugs and alcohol, there are some steps you can take after being drugged.
Get a friend to stay with you and file a police report with everything you remember.
Go to the hospital and ask for an exam and evidence collection so they can test for specific drugs and signs of assault.
And know there’s always help out there.
***
If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault, help is out there. You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 1-800-656-4673, use their Live Chat tool: https://www.rainn.org/get-help, or visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
In Canada, help is available through the Ending Violence Association of Canada website.
International resources can be found through the Rape Crisis Network Europe website.