Community Corner

Unite Community Humber launches anti-spiking 'Stay Safe Kit' in the region

The kit includes disposable drink covers, biodegradable straws, bottle stoppers, a reusable drink cover and safety initiative cards

Unite Community Humber, a branch of the non-working side of Unite the Union, has launched a new anti-spiking 'Stay Safe Kit' aimed at helping people across the Humber region protect themselves and others from drink spiking, a crime that campaigners say remains widespread and under-reported.

The initiative comes amid ongoing concerns about spiking in the night-time economy. A report by Drinkaware in 2024 said that LGBTQ+ adults are disproportionately affected by spiking with gender and sexual minorities being almost twice as likely to report ever having been a victim.

While published figures only capture a fraction of cases, campaigners and support organisations have long warned that people not being believed or taken seriously by the police prevents them from reporting incidents.

A Unite Community Humber branch member putting together kits

What's in the kit?

The 'Stay Safe Kit' is designed to offer practical, preventative tools alongside safety information. It contains items such as drink covers and bottle stoppers, with a focus on peer support. The kit includes multiple of the same items, encouraging people to look out for themselves and their friends.

Informed by young people

Unite Community Humber said that young people members were closely involved in testing the kits to ensure they were accessible, easy to use and rooted in real-world experience.

For many, concerns around spiking are made more complex by the experience of navigating public spaces as queer people, particularly in more conservative (small 'C') communities. Young members involved in the project have said the kits offer reassurance.

"I'm someone who enjoys being openly queer in quite a conservative community. Despite the freedom and pride that gives me, and although nothing serious has happened to me, the worry still exists," said Malakai Reid, a young member of the branch.

"The kits provide an extra layer of safety and go a long way towards easing my worries about being openly queer."

Another young person who felt supported by the kits was Niamh Fisher, a student at the University of Hull, who said: "The kits have helped my female friends and I to enjoy a night out together without feeling under threat."

The branch ran a stall at the University of Hull in December and handed out kits to students and staff

Supported by trade unions

The kits were made possible through funding and support from several trade union branches and organisations in Hull. Contributions include support from the local Trades Council and two other Unite branches.

Unite Community Humber said the project reflects a broader view of trade unionism that extends beyond the workplace:

"Trade unions are more than a voice for work. We are also a voice in our communities."

The kits are being distributed through community events, workplaces, venues, and local campaigns. The branch also hopes to roll these out further and offer educational sessions and awareness-raising activities.

For more information about the kits, or to get involved, get in touch with the branch via their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unitecommhumber/