Tanya Kearns launched Safe Night NI to campaign for spiking to be a criminal offence in Northern Ireland (Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live) A spiking victim from Northern Ireland is using her experience to call for the act to become a criminal offence. Tanya Kearns founded the campaign group Safe Night NI in January this year, initially sparked by her "traumatising" spiking experience, but encompassing all aspects of general safety within the nighttime economy. A petition calling for Stormont to follow plans announced by the UK government to tighten laws around spiking has so far received over 600 signatures.
The petition describes spiking as the "covert administration of drugs or alcohol to a person without their knowledge or consent." Read more: NI musician recovering after surgery on 'large and pretty rare' brain tumour Read more: Busking band Anna's Number on journey from streets of Belfast to Ulster Hall Speaking to Belfast Live about the campaign, Tanya opened up on her own experience of spiking. She said: "It was the second time I've been spiked in my life.
I was leaving work mid-week and went to a bar that would be a regular for me. "I had two or three drinks with a friend, and within 15 minutes of finishing my last drink, my body became paralysed and I maintained some sort of consciousness, but the room was spinning. I felt really nauseous and confused.
"Thankfully, I was with a mate that was able to alert the bar. I was not fully conscious until the next day and.