End drink spiking. End victim blaming.

Is it a campaign to tackle drink spiking, or just more victim blaming?

“Pace yourself. Count your drinks, try a low-alcohol alternative, or have a ‘spacer’ of water between alcoholic drinks.

“Avoid shouts, drinking games or shots. Drink at your own pace, you don’t have to join in every round and consider buying a non-alcoholic drink when it's your turn.

“Eat before or while you are drinking. If you have a full stomach, alcohol will be absorbed more slowly.

“Stay busy. If you have something to do, you tend to drink less, so have a game of pool or hit the dance floor.

“Consent and boundaries. Alcohol can lower your inhibitions. Be aware of this and set boundaries for yourself before going out.”

These are just some of the twelve “Think Safe to Drink Safe” tips educating patrons on how to not get their drinks spiked…

This is exactly the kind of harmful victim-blaming bullsh*t that adds to the stigma preventing victims from reporting drink spiking and sexual assault.

The petition by What Were You Wearing? got over 20,000 signatures earlier this year, and clearly outlined the issues surrounding drink spiking, sexual assault, victim blaming and under-reporting.

Just a few months after the petition was debated in NSW Parliament with bipartisan support to amend the RSA to mandate trauma-informed training for all security and bar staff, the NSW Government launched their “Think Safe to Drink Safe” campaign — showing just how out of touch they really are and ignoring everything the community have been campaigning on.

As we head into party and festival season this summer, young people should be able to have fun without constantly fearing being drink spiked and assaulted. The Government must step up, take bold action and be consistent with their messaging that drink spiking and sexual assault is a crime, never okay and never the fault of a victim.

*Drink spiking is a criminal offence in NSW, and incurs fines and up to 2 years imprisonment. For more information about what to do if you are a victim of drink spiking, click here.

Email the Minister for Liquor and Gaming and the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault NOW, demanding they immediately take down this victim blaming campaign and engage in genuine consultation with victim-survivors and advocates.

Dear Minister, 
Only one in six cases of drink spiking incidents that result in sexual assault are reported to police, with one of the key issues preventing victims from reporting being the culture of victim blaming entrenched in our society. 
I am writing to ask you to immediately take down the  <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-safe-drinking-campaign#:~:text=The%20Think%20Safe%20to%20Drink,potential%20risks%20to%20personal%20safety">“Think Safe to Drink Safe”</a> campaign launched by your Department on 11 October 2023, which completely fails to address the issues associated with drink spiking and sexual assault and contributes to the harmful culture of victim blaming that prevents victims from reporting drink spiking and sexual assault. 
This campaign targeted at educating patrons on how to “drink responsibly” completely shifts the blame of drink spiking onto victims, instead of holding perpetrators to account for their actions. When a perpetrator spikes someone’s drink, usually accompanied by the intention to perpetrate sexual assault, they make an active choice to inflict violence upon a victim. To insinuate that victims should have practised responsible drinking is as shameful as asking a victim “what were you wearing when you were assaulted?”. 
This is exactly what the organisation “What Were You Wearing?” asserted in their campaign and petition to the NSW Legislative Assembly which called for implementation of mandatory drink spiking and sexual violence prevention training for all security and bar staff. 
As the Minister for Racing and Gaming, you contributed to the debate in Parliament on 22 June 2023, acknowledging the important work of the campaign and committing to take action to address this important issue in consultation with advocates and victim-survivors. 
In a recent Budget Estimates hearing, the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said that she was not consulted with at all on the “Think Safe to Drink Safe” campaign. The organisers of “What Were You Wearing?” were also not consulted in the creation of this campaign.
As a member of the community, I am alarmed that you did not consult with the relevant advocates and experts before launching this public-facing campaign. I am also concerned that you and your department have misunderstood the principles and asks of advocates and victim-survivors, which have been made clear for years in many formats. 
I therefore request that you: 
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Immediately take down from the NSW Government website the media release entitled <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-safe-drinking-campaign#:~:text=The%20Think%20Safe%20to%20Drink,potential%20risks%20to%20personal%20safety">“New campaign shines a spotlight on safe drinking this summer”</a> while you engage in genuine consultation with victim-survivors and advocates.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Implement trauma-informed training across your entire department in relation to sexual violence and victim blaming.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Commit to consult with the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, victim-survivors, advocates and the relevant experts, on all future campaigns relating to drink spiking and sexual assault.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Formally apologise to the organisers of “What Were You Wearing?” for failing to listen to their calls. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ensure that any amendment to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) in relation to drink spiking and sexual violence prevention training is grounded in consultation with and leadership of victim-survivors and advocates. </li>
</ol>
Listening to and platforming the voices of victim-survivors is vital in reducing and eliminating drink spiking and sexual violence in our state. Failing to do so will only push us backward in creating change.

I would like to BCC myself

END DRINK SPIKING. END VICTIM BLAMING.