Home   Canterbury   News   Article

Girls Night In: Campaign to boycott nightclubs and bars over drink spiking changes name of group as 'not inclusive enough'

The organisers of a campaign to boycott nightclubs and bars following a spate of reports of spiking has changed its name following complaints it was "not inclusive enough".

Girls Night In was launched by campaigners who say there is a "lack of concern being show by local clubs and the government" following a recent increase in incidents.

Nightclubs and bars across Kent are set to be boycotted as part of the formally-named Girls Night In campaign following a spate of reports of spiking. Picture: iStock/Chalabala
Nightclubs and bars across Kent are set to be boycotted as part of the formally-named Girls Night In campaign following a spate of reports of spiking. Picture: iStock/Chalabala

It also follows concerning reports across the country this week of women being victims of "injection spiking".

The anti-spiking campaign Girls Night In includes planned boycotts on Wednesday in Canterbury and Medway, which are home to the county's universities.

But the group says it has now changed the campaign's name following complaints the word 'girl's' was not inclusive enough.

Each individual boycott will now be named after the relevant area - so Canterbury Night In and Medway Night In.

"We understand and accept that our previous name was not inclusive enough," organisers said.

"We have heard you and we have listened and are working with campaigning groups like Not On My Campus UK to address these issues.

The anti-spiking campaign Girls Night In gathered support in Canterbury and Medway. Picture: iStock.com/Roger Travis
The anti-spiking campaign Girls Night In gathered support in Canterbury and Medway. Picture: iStock.com/Roger Travis

"We want to assure you that the Night In campaign is working towards achieving intersectionality, and we accept that we have not been explicitly intersectional so far.

"We are an anti-racist, anti-misogyny, gender inclusive, pro-LGBT+, pro trans people, pro-disabled people, pro-sex worker, anti-carceral and pro-community support movement.

"These are not just words, we will be changing our campaign approach.

"We are sorry for any harm our campaign has caused so far, but we are working to do better."

Some have hit out on social media at the decision to change the name.

The anti-spiking campaign Girls Night In have prompted a boycott in Canterbury
The anti-spiking campaign Girls Night In have prompted a boycott in Canterbury

Dr Shonagh Dillon tweeted: "This campaign started well. Now it means absolutely nothing. It is for nobody. Women and girls are forgotten and the aim of the protest is entirely lost.

"Basically in different places across the UK on different nights lots of people stay in and nobody highlights a thing."

Dickie James MBE said: "Let’s make women stay in and then let’s make them disappear… absolutely classic coercive control culture."

Professor Jane Monckton Smith tweeted: "I think it’s a stark example of how quickly and easily women and girls are bullied and silenced.

"There should be OUTRAGE that women and girls are routinely drugged, raped and even murdered, not relief when they all shut up about it."

Groups from more than 30 universities across the UK have joined an online campaign calling for the boycott of nightclubs.

A post called Girls Night In Canterbury says: "Join the boycotting of clubs and bars to protest the lack of concern being shown by the local clubs and the government of the increasing numbers of people being spiked on nights out."

The boycott is scheduled to take place next Wednesday.

Canterbury and Whitstable MP Rosie Duffield (Lab) said this week: "While I fully support the awareness of drink spiking being raised through actions like boycotts, the real issue here is that women should not have to stay at home to protect themselves from being drugged without consent.

"Following the reports of alleged incidents here in Canterbury, I have raised my concerns with the police, have reached out to the student union presidents at our universities and have been working with Labour councillors to address any potential issues around licensing."

Last week it was reported a city nightclub is implementing changes to increase safety after an “extremely worrying” incident in which a drink was reportedly spiked.

Police are investigating claims a young woman was drugged at Club Chemistry in Canterbury.

The woman, aged in her 20s, became “unwell and disoriented” during a night out at the venue in Station Road East.

Following reports of incidents across the country, Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked police forces to assess the scale of the problem.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More