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I suspect I almost got roofied years ago. I was travelling in the Caribbean and had gone to a bar with another woman. We had ordered bottled beers. The bartender was OVERLY friendly to the point he was ignoring other customers and was encouraging us to try a mixed drink that was a special for the day. I had already felt not right his attention, but was alarmed when he made the drink out of our sight, behind the bar where we couldn't see. Bartenders should always be mixing and opening drinks in public view.
We got the drinks and I hesitated for a sec, telling myself I was being silly but at the last second I stopped my friend from drinking hers. I told her I couldn't explain it, but I didn't feel right about it. The bartender was PISSED when he saw we didn't drink and I asked him why he didn't make it in front of us. Everything he needed was there and accessible in our view, he had made drinks for other customers. He was very defensive, too invested in watching us drink. We paid for the drinks but didn't drink them and left. I don't have evidence, but to this day I really feel strongly something bad would have happened. I think most people would have drank them.
Really, its better to avoid mixed drinks all together when traveling or in unfamiliar bars and restaurants. Adulterated alcohol is becoming more common and is very, very dangerous. Stick with bottled drinks that are opened in your sight.
We need to normalize covers for drinks in public. Drinks served in bars and clubs need to come in sippy cups with lids. That would make a big difference. And we need to push back every time men joke about drugging and raping women. People need to be really cautious of bars serving compromised alcohol, especially when abroad.
Feminist_UsernameJanuary 16, 2024
Giving up alcohol helps! One year this month and I don't miss it in the slightest
VestalVirginJanuary 16, 2024
Constant vigilance!
Yeah, I don't drink alcohol anyway, (and thus, rarely go to bars where I might get roofied) but good old Moody has the right idea there.
Only drink from unopened bottles, better yet, your personal flask.
This shit is serious. An old co-worker of mine nearly died when her drink was spiked. She collapsed in the bar bathroom, other women inside the bathroom called an ambulance, and she ended up needing her stomach pumped and was in the hospital for a week
And it makes sense that British women who get drugged and raped don't feel safe calling the police about it. The UK police would probably only give a shit if the rapist slapped an "adult human female" sticker on his victims back while raping her