Schoolies Survival Guide Continued...

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Drink Spiking at Schoolies Week

• In some clubs and pubs, bar staff spike your drink as they pour it! No matter where you got the drink or what measures you take to keep it from being spiked you are in the line of fire.
• There is only one true way to safeguard yourself and that is party with friends who will keep a close eye on you. This won't stop your drink being spiked but it can stop you falling into your attacker's hands.
• During Schoolies Week, the good majority of sexual assaults will be perpetrated without even having to go to all the trouble of spiking drinks.
• Usually there are plenty of girls who have simply drunk too much or used drugs with alcohol and made themselves easy targets.
• Drink spiking was widespread in past years at Gold Coast Schoolies Week.
• Lots of people got drugged with water. The attackers got the water from the Recharge Stations - went down onto the beach, added the drugs - and then offered the cups of water around on the beach.

Sexual Assault at Schoolies

• Reported and unreported rape happens a lot during Schoolies, it happens to guys too. Most of the reported assaults occured in the sand dunes.
• Making out in a room with someone you only half know is the most dangerous place. Second is the beach. Third is the drunken walk home.
• No one deserves to be sexually assaulted.
• Look out for other people especially your friends and get them to look out for you. If your friend gets too drunk or stoned and you leave her somewhere she is really vulnerable to sexual assault, there will be predators watching for her.

The Beach

• During the Schoolies Week Festival there will be a few people working the beach every day, stealing people's stuff while they are swimming.
• If you go swimming when you are off your head or pissed, you will probably drown (they say about 30% of adult drawings are alcohol related).
• There is broken glass at the Schoolies Festival, needles as well - so keep your shoes on and be careful where you sit.

Schoolies Week Alcohol Fines

• Its part of the state government's plan to issue heaps of on the spot fines at the Gold Coast Schoolies Week Festival.
• Fines vary and range up to a couple of thousand dollars.
• They are very strict in Cavil Mall - heaps of Police.

Alcohol Poisoning

• If someone passes out from drinking too much or too quickly their system can be in real trouble, people can and have died this way. Calling an Ambulance could save their life (dial 000).
• If you spew it means your body can't cope with the amount of alcohol you have in your gut and needs to get it out before serious damage is caused. So if you feel like you need to spew, it's a good idea to get it out of your system.
• If you can't remember part of the night before it means you have drunk enough to cause brain damage.

Drugs at Schoolies Week

• There are a number of people who don't usually use drugs but for some reason they decide to on Schoolies Week (usually when they are already pissed).
• Their main regret was not being true to themselves or opening themselves up to danger because they didn't realize how disorientated they would get.
• The Ambos treat overdoses differently depending on what drug you have used. If you tell your friends what you are using, they will be able to look out for you and if you drop they can tell the Ambos what you took.
• If you are drinking and suddenly feel really out of it - but in a way you have never felt before while drinking (you will feel really sick) - you have probably had your drink spiked. Get help ASAP, you need to go to hospital!