To companies in the City and other business environments, the company social event is an important date in the commercial calendar. Unfortunately, the easy availability of Rohypnol, GHB and other "date-rape" drugs has caused embarrassment to the hosts and distress to it's victims
Nearly all accept that, at present, the problem is not going to go away. Attendance at events by Answers staff therefore provides many benefits
The danger at office parties is deemed so serious as to cause authorities to produce a warning televison advert showing a man furtively slipping a pill into a woman's drink at a Christmas party with the words: "Drug rape is happening, don't let it happen to you" A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Sapphire (sexual offences) squad is quoted as saying:
"The office party is a very dangerous environment and women must be on their guard. You are much more likely to be raped by a work colleague than by anybody else. The message to women is: Be on your guard. Don't put your glass down and if someone offers to buy you a drink, keep an eye on what they are doing. We are sure dozens of incidents are not being reported to us"
Attendance at events by Answers staff provides many benefits:
Guests at the event feel reassured and confident
Doubt is eliminated
PR value demonstrates the organiser's commitment to providing a safe environment
the high profile of staff discourages and dissuades would-be perpetrators
Sadly, one client is now intending to use our facility as a result of such an incident at the firm's Christmas party. While they are keen to provide security and protection for their staff, their direct motivation is as an effect of the potential liability and potential PR disaster that arose from the incident concerned. In that instance, the person drugged was fortunately only the victim of no more than the drug's effects, but the perpetrator remains unknown