Young people are set to quiz local officials including politicians on what action they are taking over spiking in a campaign event in St Andrews.
The Big Night In event takes place on Wednesday at the town’s students’ union between 8pm and 10pm.
It coincides with a wider campaign to protest against a lack of action by some venues and authorities, following numerous recent reports of women being drugged through injections or having their drinks spiked across the country – and a wider debate on women’s safety.
Local MSP Willie Rennie is among those set to take questions and hear concerns at the event.
The organiser, St Andrews Feminist Society, is asking people to go along instead of heading to pubs, clubs, house parties or social events on Wednesday – a popular night for students to go out socialising.
In a post on Instagram, those behind the event wrote: “We want to raise awareness of the severity of drink spiking and in order to do so we must make clear that it can occur at any kind of event.
“This is a night in, rather than an active boycott as such.”
In an online manifesto, organisers of the campaign have outlined a number of demands of businesses, authorities and other groups.
The post added: “By asking you to attend our sit-in rather than a venue or house party the night of the 27th, we want to send a clear message to various venues, students groups, the government, and the university – we would like significant and relevant action taken against spiking.”
At the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Rennie confirmed he will be going along.
He said: “It is important that we all stand up against this spiking.
“On Wednesday I’ll be addressing a protest at St Andrews University and I do want to report to them that this parliament is taking action.”
Afterwards he told The Courier: “I’m impressed by the determination of St Andrews students to highlight the recent spate of spiking and most importantly, press for action.
“In parliament I asked the minister about a programme trialled in Lincolnshire to fund and distribute testing strips and they agreed to look into it.
“This is a small step that could help people to feel safer on a night out.”
Police investigating spiking by injection reports
There are concerns that those involved in spiking are doing so in order to carry out sex attacks on women.
Last week the Dundee branch of Reclaim the Streets confirmed it is joining Wednesday’s boycott.
It followed a claim that a woman had been spiked by injection at a bar in Dundee.
Police have also confirmed they are looking into several similar incidents across the country, saying there is a “small but notable” increase at this time of year.
History of sexual assault claims at St Andrews University
The St Andrews event comes in the wake of sexual assault allegations at the town’s university, with past concerns about ‘rape culture’.
In October last year, three students thrown out of St Andrews University and a further 20 were disciplined following allegations of sexual misconduct within a period of five years.
In July, BBC docuseries Disclosure featured St Andrews University in an episode where it was claimed that reports of rape and sexual assault had been poorly handled.
But the university rejected the allegations and students then shared their own experiences of how the institution had dealt with sexual assault cases during their studies – some of which were positive.
A month later, the uni introduced a specialist sexual assault counsellor.
