I was drugged. I don’t remember everything and that truth alone still haunts me.

I was semi conscious, slipping in and out of awareness. I felt fear but couldn’t speak it. I felt danger but couldn’t escape it. 

I’ve tried, countless times to piece together the hours I lost, but the reality is I never got the full story of what happened to me and I never will. That kind of uncertainty eats away at your mind, the questions never stop. Trauma doesn’t just visit, it stays.

The emotional and mental damage has been overwhelming. I lost years of my life mentally and I’ve mourned the version of me that existed before that night, the one who walked into a room without scanning every face.

I’m not alone, women across the UK and across the world are experiencing the same nightmare. The rise in spiking and sexual assault is not just an isolated issue, it’s an epidemic. It’s happening in clubs, bars, in private gatherings. It’s happening to daughters, sisters, friends, in a society that has become frighteningly numb to our suffering. A society that still asks what we were wearing, how much we drank, why we were out so late. Instead of asking why someone thought they had the right to hurt us. We are not safe. We are not overreacting. We are fighting for our lives. Every time we leave our homes, we are calculating risk. Because those who want to harm us will find a way unless something changes.

Every 68 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted. Survivors are left to endure lifelong trauma, yet far too many perpetrators receive sentences that fail to reflect the gravity of their crimes. This must change.

Survivors of sexual abuse and assault deserve immediate access to comprehensive and effective support services, including:

 • Fully funded counselling and trauma informed mental health care

 • Accessible hotlines and crisis centers in every community

 • Survivor advocacy programs offering legal, medical, and emotional support

Equally, the justice system must be strengthened. Perpetrators of sexual violence should face consistent, appropriate, and stringent punishments that reflect the harm caused and serve as a deterrent. Light sentences convey the message that sexual violence is not treated with the seriousness it warrants, and survivors bear the consequences.

We are calling on:

 • The UK Government and Home Office to take immediate action to protect survivors and strengthen justice for perpetrators.

 • Public health and safety bodies to fund research into sexual violence, its prevalence, and effective prevention and support strategies.

We also urge authorities to:

 • Increase funding and access to survivor resources and crisis services nationwide.

 • Strengthen sentencing guidelines to ensure perpetrators receive penalties that reflect the severity of their crimes.

 • Enhance survivor protections by enforcing stricter laws to prevent repeat offenses and hold offenders fully accountable.

Sexual assault devastates lives. Together, we can demand a society that protects survivors, ensures justice, and holds perpetrators accountable.

Sign this petition. Stand with survivors. Demand real support and real consequences for those who commit sexual violence.