• When you're new to York speak to students who've been here longer about places to go out in York and also those to avoid.
  
  
• Phone a flatmate if you decide to stay out for the night.
  
  
• Avoid confrontation. Do not meet aggression with aggression. Stay calm, speak slowly and clearly.
  
  
• Go out in a group, stay as a group, and go home as a group. Look out for your friends, don't let others take advantage of them.
  
  
• In public places, keep your bag on your lap.
  
  
• Don't leave coats and jackets containing valuables unattended.
  
  
• Avoid using cash points in badly lit or isolated areas, particularly late at night.
  

The following safety tips relate specifically to drink and drugs and should be adhered to by everyone:

• Know your limits and don't drink more than you can handle.

• Drink spiking is on the increase and is regularly reported to our city centre officers by sudents. Many people believe drink spiking only happens to girls, but it doesn't, men are also at risk.

• Remember drink spiking isn't just drugs, you can be spiked with alcohol too.
  
• It takes only 15 minutes for the effect of rape drugs to kick in, and they can wipe out 8 hours of memory. Never leave your drink unattended.
  
  
• Only accept a drink from a stranger if you have accompanied them to the bar and watched it being served.
  
  
• Ask the bar staff to remove bottle tops in your presence. Keep the bottle in your hand & use your thumb to cover the top.
  
  
• The biggest substance used in drink spiking isn't Rohypnol or Ketamine but friends putting extra vodka to 'assist' others in having a good time. If you're that friend you could be putting someone at risk.
  
  
• If you feel your drink has been spiked take the following steps immediately:
  1. Seek help from someon you trust 100%
  2. Seek medical assistance
  3. Report the matter to the police by telephoning 0845 60 60 24 7. The main drugs used to spike drinks are out of the system very quickly so the police will only do urine tests up to 72 hours after the incident.
  
  
• Spiking a drink can lead to up to 10 years in prison
  
  
• If you use drugs or are thinking about using drugs, get the facts first. If you take drugs, give them the respect they warrant. Some drugs are more harmful to your health than others, but all carry a degree of risk. Visit Talk to Frank for friendly, confidential advice.
  
  
• Remember that having a criminal conviction for possession of drugs can affect the jobs you will be able to do in the future. Some jobs even have a mandatory drugs test at an early stage of their recruitment process.
  
  Tips for getting home safely at the end of the night include:

• Staying with others - it's SAFER and CHEAPER.

• Making sure you know your address to get home to if you're new to the area.
  
   
• Keep to well-lit, main street areas.
  
  
• Never leave without telling anyone or walk home alone.
   
• Keep a small amount of money separate from your wallet for getting home at the end of the night.

Party Safe 

Party Safe is a project Higher York have developed along with the Students' Unions around York, aimed at raising awareness about student safety on nights out.

The main part of the campaign was Party Safe Week which took place between 3rd - 7th December 2007. During this week the Party Safe team were out around the bars and clubs in York on an evening raising awareness about issues including drink safety awareness, student friendly nights and getting home safely.

The team gave out freebies including anti-drink spiking stoppers and bottles of water, and spread the message with pink Party Safe posters, postcards and t-shirts, rememinding you that you can have FUN and stay SAFE!

The event was a success in raising awareness about socialising safely among a vast number of students in and around York and there are plans to keep running the project again in the future. Check back here for Party Safe updates in 2008.

For more information about Party Safe contact info@higheryork.org or click here to read the press release for the event.