00:00It just happened so fast. I mean, it literally, I suppose, you know, we're talking seconds.
00:07Striding into County Hall, Dean Burns may not be the first person to spring to mind
00:12when imagining a victim of spiking.
00:16But earlier this year, the Deputy Cabinet Member for the Environment
00:19says he was drugged while out drinking in Ashford.
00:23I just lost trust in society around me.
00:28You know, I couldn't walk into a pub and have lunch or anything like that.
00:34You know, I just wanted to sort of stay away from these sort of places
00:37because it kind of makes you realise how vulnerable you can be.
00:42Spiking can happen to anyone in a variety of different ways.
00:47Someone could slip something into your drink or food,
00:50inject you with a needle, even drug your cigarette or vape.
00:54And 90% of these spikings do go unreported.
00:59It's something Dean wants to try and change in his role at Kent County Council
01:04by raising awareness of his own experiences.
01:08This is really about getting the people to understand that it's not their fault when it happens
01:13because that's the first thing you feel, you just feel, it's almost like a mixture of emotions
01:19of shame, embarrassment, all them kind of feelings that, you know,
01:26and I've seen to learn that all that is is your body just trying to repair itself.
01:31Enforcement of laws around spiking rests with Kent Police.
01:35While district and borough councils who oversee licensing for bars and venues
01:41can implement preventative measures.
01:44And I understand people's anxiety around this as a particular issue.
01:49So that's why Kent Police are doing a lot of work with businesses
01:52to make sure that we protect people as best we possibly can.
01:55And the government is looking at strengthening and updating the legislation in this area
01:59to hold those perpetrators to account.
02:02Data on the full scale of spiking here in the county is not readily available.
02:09But if Dean's experience is anything to go by,
02:12vigilance is the best way to stay safe.
02:15Ollie Leder in Mainstone.
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