Thousands of revellers boycotted bars and nightclubs in cities across the UK last night as part of a movement aimed at encouraged venues to do more to protect revellers from spiking.
The Girls Night In movement saw women and men avoid going out to bars and clubs last night in cities including Manchester, Nottingham and Bristol as they demanded better safety measures for customers.
Dozens of local Instagram pages have been created to spread the news of the Girls Night In campaign, where women from various university cities will stay in, 'spreading awareness and challenging clubs' to keep people safe.
It comes after hundreds of cases, including drink spiking and injections, were reported in recent months.
Petra Mirosevic-Sorgo, who runs the @girlsnightinloughborough Instagram account with two other students at Loughborough University, said her own experiences of spiking made her want to 'make sure that (others) feel safe'.
'I woke up and I was so distraught... I just remember running out to the hospital lobby crying,' the 21-year-old recalled.
A crowd of people gathered in Manchester to protest in a bid to urge venues to do more to protect customers from having their drink spiked as part of a nationwide movement known as Girls Night In which has seen thousands boycott bars and clubs
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham joined the hundreds of protestors at a gathering in Manchester as part of the movement
Venues normally packed with students were almost empty as the boycott took place in Manchester on Wednesday night
No queue: On Bar in Manchester was quiet last night as protestors took part in a boycott over a spate of drink spikings
It comes after the National Police Chiefs Council reported there had been 198 spiking incidents reported in two months
Ms Mirosevic-Sorgo said her university's Student Union had only sold 60 tickets for its own Wednesday night event, which she says shows people are behind the boycott.
'Normally 3,000+ people go out on a Wednesday, so we're quite happy that people are actually taking this seriously,' the English and sports science student said.
'On one side, we want to stand in solidarity with the past, present, and future (victims) of spiking, and on the other hand, it's to make a stand against nightlife hosts and events - to say, 'it's really not good enough.'
'And just to make those who have been spiked feel that they've been listened to.'
A man appeared in court charged with rape on Wednesday after a complaint from a woman who said her drink had been spiked.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court on December 1, a spokeswoman for Tameside Magistrates' Court said.
Greater Manchester Police said the force received a report in September from a woman who said that at some time during a night out in Stalybridge days earlier her drink had been spiked and she had been raped.
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said there have been 198 confirmed reports of drink spiking in September and October across various parts of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus 24 reports of some form of injection.
Meanwhile, detectives are investigating six reports of women being injected while on nights out in Brighton during the past week.
Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, of Brighton police, said the reports are being taken 'incredibly seriously' and called for any possible victims of spiking to let police or bar staff know as soon as possible.
There have been 56 reports of spikings by injection across September and October, according to National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Drugs, Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin.
The campaign will spread across dozens university towns and cities over the next fortnight, and an online petition calling for increased safety measures has already been signed more than 168,000 times.
Boycotts took place in at least 40 cities last night including Bristol, Brighton, Bournemouth, Belfast, Nottingham and Southampton tonight with more set to take place this week.
Seven women say they have been injected on nights out in two Sussex resorts in just seven days. Six revellers told police they were injected while out in Brighton city centre with another woman saying she was spiked during a night out in Eastbourne.
Ted White, 22, said he blacked out during a night out at Derby's Popworld after his drink was spiked. He woke up in a bed filled with blood, covered in cuts and bruises, but cannot remember what happened to him
Constable Harwin, said: 'We have now had responses from all forces across the UK in relation to incidents involving some form of injection, with a total of 56 confirmed reports from across September and October.
'Police forces are investigating incidents and continue to work with pubs and clubs to increase searches and guidance to staff. We will continue to analyse the reports and work with police forces, plus other law enforcement partners including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), as investigations develop to build a problem profile and determine any further action by police or venues.
'We would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim or witness to spiking, in any form, to contact their local police force. Any reports of spiking will be investigated and taken seriously. You should try and report it to police as quickly as possible to help officers carry out tests and gather the best evidence.'
Second year University of Derby student Ted White, 22, told Good Morning Britain today he blacked out on a night out at the city's Popworld club after his drink was spiked.
He said he woke up at 4pm the following day 'covered in cuts and bruises' and with his 'bed full of blood'.
'I was on a normal night out a couple of weekends back with a close friend,' he said. 'We went to a venue we usually go to most Saturdays. We arrive just after midnight and the next thing I know I'm waking up in my bed at 4pm later the next day, no recollection of anything, covered in cuts, bruises.
My bed was full of blood. No wallet, no keys. I have absolutely no recollection of anything at all. I don't remember getting into any altercations with anyone, I don't remember getting home, I don't remember leaving the bar. I just remember arriving. Next thing I know I'm waking up the next day.'
He said he thought he was 'quite lucky' because he has a 'thick skin' and feels empowered rather than victimised.
'After talking to a lot of close friends it became scarily apparent how common and normal it is for it to happen to a lot of females and it just blew my mind,' he added.
Meanwhile, a man has been remanded into custody and appeared at Tameside Magistrates Court accused of raping a woman after allegedly spiking her drink.
Reporting the alleged attack on Monday, September 27, the woman told police she had been raped and spiked during a night out in a town centre on Saturday, September 25.
David McClenaghan, head of the abuse team at law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, told MailOnline: 'Having acted for several clients who have been drugged and subjected to sexual assaults, I've seen first hand the devastating effect this cowardly crime can have. The latest behaviour of injecting spiking takes this depraved behaviour to a new low.
'Venues must do more to make sure this behaviour is stopped and ensure women can feel free to enjoy themselves in pubs and clubs throughout the UK.
'Simple steps such as searches at doors, installing CCTV and reporting all suspicious behaviour to the police is something that can be done easily and done now.
'Any would-be perpetrator must be brought to court and heavily punished so that others are deterred.'
In Brighton, police received initial reports of women feeling unwell after nights out last Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and four more followed in the next few days. Another woman in Eastbourne reportedly said she was injected after a night out in the town on Saturday.
Georgia Latham (pictured), 21, went for one drink at Pryzm nightclub with a friend at 11pm on Friday after finishing work as a Stag Do hostess in Cardiff
Ms Latham said her night on October 22 took a 'terrifying' turn when her legs stopped working. After leaving Pryzm (pictured) she and her friend went to the nearby Live Lounge, where she started to feel unwell
Brighton's police chief said the reports are being taken 'incredibly seriously' and called for any possible victims of spiking to let police or bar staff know as soon as possible.
A Sussex Police spokesman said night-time patrols are being increased and each incident is being 'thoroughly investigated', as well as the series as a whole.
Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, divisional commander for Brighton and Hove, said: 'Everybody has the right to enjoy a night out in safety and we fully understand the concerns around these troubling reports, not only in Sussex but across the country.
'Unannounced licensing checks throughout the night provide an additional level of support and if you see our officers out and about, please do speak to them - or licensed security staff - about any concerns or suspicious behaviour.
'Please be assured that we take all reports incredibly seriously and ask anybody who believes they may have been a victim of spiking to let police or bar staff know as soon as possible so they can be tested before potential drugs leave their system and evidence can be gathered.'
Elsewhere in the UK, an investigation is under way after a woman reported being injected with an unknown substance in Preston at the weekend. Police were also called to a separate incident in the city on Saturday where two women reported having their drinks spiked, Lancashire Constabulary said.
Students are planning to boycott nightclubs as part of nationwide protests, with more than 30 universities taking part in the campaign in a bid to force venues to increase safety measures.
Following reports of spiking by needles in Nottingham, a petition calling for it to be a 'legal requirement' for nightclubs to 'thoroughly' search customers upon arrival has been signed by more than 168,000 people.
Another petition, unconnected to Girls Night In, is calling on the government to fund free drink spiking test kits that give an instant result has reached 12,000 signatures.
Those taking part in the boycott will stay at home on a designated night to raise awareness of the attacks and encourage venues to improve security.
Venues have vowed to close in solidarity with the movement including in Lancaster and Nottingham.
The Sugarhouse, run by Lancaster University's student union, said it will use the closure to train staff about how to deal with suspected spikings.
Meanwhile Pryzm in Nottingham has said it will shut its doors tonight 'in solidarity with the nightlife boycott'.
It comes as two more students have claimed they lost use of their legs after being spiked during nights out.
Georgia Latham, 21, went for one drink at Pryzm nightclub with a friend at 11pm on Friday after finishing work as a Stag Do hostess in Cardiff. And in Liverpool an 18-year-old student, who asked not to be named, has claimed she was injected in the back while queuing for Baa Bar on Fleet Street.
Victims have become violently ill while out and only realised they had been injected when they found 'pin prick' marks on their bodies.
Ms Latham said her night on October 22 took a 'terrifying' turn when her legs stopped working.
After leaving Pryzm she and her friend went to the nearby Live Lounge, where she started to feel unwell.
The pair managed to tell a bouncer they thought Ms Latham had been spiked and were taken to a medical room where the third-year Cardiff University student stopped being able to communicate.
'I sat there and I was with it in terms of I could process and hear what people were saying, but I couldn't respond, so I was just crying because I couldn't get my words out or say how I was feeling,' she said.
Ms Latham was checked over by a medic friend before she was advised to visit A&E.
In Liverpool an 18-year-old student claimed she was injected in the back while queuing for Baa Bar (pictured) on Fleet Street
She said: 'I don't remember getting to hospital. The only thing I remember when arriving, which stays with me, is my friend Nisha said to the person at the door 'This is spiking'.
'We didn't even say where and one of the actual people at the hospital said 'Was it Pryzm?'. They knew the place before we said it and they said 'yeah you're not our first tonight'.'
Ms Latham was kept in for several hours and given anti-sickness tablets.
She said staff wouldn't run a toxicology but they suggested her symptoms were most likely caused by Rohypnol. A spokesman for Pryzm said: 'Everyone should feel safe on a night out, and they should feel safe in our club.'
They added that they take 'all reports of drink spiking very seriously' and plan to offer free anti-spiking bottle stoppers, protective drink covers and drug testing kits'.
The spokesman said the club already operates 100 percent searches on entry.
Meanwhile, the unnamed woman in Liverpool suddenly started feeling unwell as she queued for Baa Bar shortly after midnight on October 19.
As she left the queue and stood to the side to be sick, the first year University of Liverpool student said she lost all use of her legs.
She was carried part way home by her friend before they got into a taxi together, but it wasn't until the next morning that she realised what had happened.
The woman said: 'We were queuing up outside and suddenly I was like 'I'm going to be sick.' I went over to the side and started throwing up.
'My friend told me I was flopping over, I couldn't use my legs, I couldn't really speak.
'I can remember throwing up
