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How to stay safe on a night out - tips from The Mix ✨
Gemma
Community Manager Posts: 605 Incredible Poster
Christmas is near...get ready to dance the night away safely!🎄
The festive season is a wonderful time to relax and have fun on a night out, but there can be risks, particularly for women and non-binary folk, so take a look at some of our top tips for staying safe and well on a night out 💚
What helps you to feel comfy and safe on a night out?👇
Alt text spoilered:
You can also view the post over on our Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/themixuk
The festive season is a wonderful time to relax and have fun on a night out, but there can be risks, particularly for women and non-binary folk, so take a look at some of our top tips for staying safe and well on a night out 💚
What helps you to feel comfy and safe on a night out?👇
Alt text spoilered:
How to stay safe on a night out
Going out over the festive season should be a chance to let loose and have a great time with our friends.
The last thing we want to worry about is how to stay safe. Sadly, being out at night can pose real risks and especially so for women and non-binary folks. These tips will give us more confidence to dance the night away and get home safely.
Always keep an eye on our drinks, and if we're at a party, mix our own.
We can buy special lids to place over the top of our drinks to avoid drink spiking.
We should space out our drinks/substance use and know our limits. Bring snacks and water with us.
Take a look at themix.org.uk for resources on drink and drugs and info on how to stay safe.
Go out in a group and try to stay with our friends throughout the night.
Keep our phone batteries charged.
Trust our guts - if a situation in a bar/club/party doesn't feel safe then leave or speak to bar/club staff for support.
Stay away from fights and move away if one starts near.
If we think someone we're with has been spiked, the best thing to do is tell the people we're with and seek medical help straight away.
Call an ambulance if we're worried about their health or get to the nearest hospital and explain what has happened. The quicker we go to hospital, the more likely it is that the substance will be identified.
Travel home with a friend or ideally a group of friends (we should share cabs with friends if we can).
Have a plan for how we will get home if we get separated from our group.
If we are getting in a cab, order it from an app or a registered taxi firm to increase our safety.
Leave vulnerable items at home or keep them somewhere out of view.
Try to stick to well-lit areas.
If walking anywhere, always try to walk facing on-coming traffic.
If we think we are being followed, trust our instincts and act.
As confidently as we can, cross the road turning as we do to see who is behind us. If we are still being followed, cross again.
Keep moving. Head for a busy area and ask for help - for example from a shopkeeper.
If a vehicle pulls up suddenly alongside us, turn and walk in the other direction: we can turn much faster than a car.
Avoid confrontation.
Talk our way out of problems, stay calm, speak gently, slowly, and clearly. Breathe out slowly to help us relax.
If we are trapped or in danger, yell, or scream - our voice is your best defence. Shout, 'phone the police' or other specific instructions which people can understand easily. We can also carry a personal alarm.
Going out over the festive season should be a chance to let loose and have a great time with our friends.
The last thing we want to worry about is how to stay safe. Sadly, being out at night can pose real risks and especially so for women and non-binary folks. These tips will give us more confidence to dance the night away and get home safely.
Always keep an eye on our drinks, and if we're at a party, mix our own.
We can buy special lids to place over the top of our drinks to avoid drink spiking.
We should space out our drinks/substance use and know our limits. Bring snacks and water with us.
Take a look at themix.org.uk for resources on drink and drugs and info on how to stay safe.
Go out in a group and try to stay with our friends throughout the night.
Keep our phone batteries charged.
Trust our guts - if a situation in a bar/club/party doesn't feel safe then leave or speak to bar/club staff for support.
Stay away from fights and move away if one starts near.
If we think someone we're with has been spiked, the best thing to do is tell the people we're with and seek medical help straight away.
Call an ambulance if we're worried about their health or get to the nearest hospital and explain what has happened. The quicker we go to hospital, the more likely it is that the substance will be identified.
Travel home with a friend or ideally a group of friends (we should share cabs with friends if we can).
Have a plan for how we will get home if we get separated from our group.
If we are getting in a cab, order it from an app or a registered taxi firm to increase our safety.
Leave vulnerable items at home or keep them somewhere out of view.
Try to stick to well-lit areas.
If walking anywhere, always try to walk facing on-coming traffic.
If we think we are being followed, trust our instincts and act.
As confidently as we can, cross the road turning as we do to see who is behind us. If we are still being followed, cross again.
Keep moving. Head for a busy area and ask for help - for example from a shopkeeper.
If a vehicle pulls up suddenly alongside us, turn and walk in the other direction: we can turn much faster than a car.
Avoid confrontation.
Talk our way out of problems, stay calm, speak gently, slowly, and clearly. Breathe out slowly to help us relax.
If we are trapped or in danger, yell, or scream - our voice is your best defence. Shout, 'phone the police' or other specific instructions which people can understand easily. We can also carry a personal alarm.
You can also view the post over on our Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/themixuk
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Comments
I also want to share a youtube video I found actually. Okay I know its supposed to be a comedy skit but there is a special important message hidden in that video so comedy and seriousness. So if your in a club, bar, pub or night out and you don't feel safe or someone is making you feel uncomfortable. You can go to the bar and ask the bartender or server on shift for an 'angel shot'. An 'angel shot' basically is a codeword for 'I don't feel safe, help me'. The server should then help you. Sometimes you may have to actually ask for help but saying angel shot is a way of staying annoymus if your life were to be at risk. Also recently in June at a local pride event, I picked up some anti-spikers that you can put in drinks. They are like straws but also stoppers and can prevent from drugs being placed into your drink. You can also sip out of the anti-spiker too so it acts like a straw (extra bonus). Thought this might be helpful for anyone going out during Christmas. Stay safe folks and have a lovely Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/syQ9lJykRA8
(let me know if the link doesn't work)
This is a really great addition to this thread Amy.
I'd also like to add that some bars are part of the "Ask for Angela" campaign. Most of the bars I've been to usually have posters about "Asking for Angela" in the toilet cubicles. Basically instead of asking for an Angel shot you could also go to the bar and ask for Angela to let the bartenders know you need help. Some bars also have different codes dependent on the level of support you need. (I've attached a picture of what the poster looks like).
That is super handy and helpful
There's more information on their website. https://strutsafe.org/#about
I've also heard of StrutSafe and I heard they are very good too.