A drink in the bar, a blackout, a suspicion. What happens then? Most people who believe they have been secretly given knockout drops do not go to the police. This is shown by the first interim results of the "Don't knock me out" study, in which Chemnitz University of Technology is involved. Out of 527 people who stated that they had been victims of such substances at least once, only 48 filed a complaint. That is less than one in ten.
Junior Professor Charlotte Förster from Chemnitz University of Technology launched the study together with Thomas Beck from the Competence Center for Protection against Violence at the Tirol Clinics in Innsbruck. Since the end of 2024, people aged 14 and over in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been able to anonymously complete an online questionnaire. More than 2,000 people have already taken part. Förster has now evaluated the first figures from Germany, based on 1,288 usable data sets.
Many suspected cases, little evidence
Of the 527 people who believe they were affected themselves, 110 were not entirely sure. A further 302 people stated that someone they were with had probably been given knockout drops. And 808 respondents knew at least one person who suspected this. The figures show: The phenomenon is widespread.
But what exactly does "knockout drops" mean? The researchers speak of "drink spiking". By this they mean that substances are mixed into someone's drink unnoticed. These substances can make people dizzy, incapacitated or unconscious. They are often used to commit crimes.
The suspicion was only confirmed by forensic medicine in 18 cases. Urine, blood or hair samples were taken from 42 people. "However, these suspected cases were very rarely confirmed by forensic medicine, reported to the police and prosecuted," says Förster. The fear of knockout drops is particularly pronounced among those who have already had such experiences themselves.
More education needed
The study has not yet been completed. A comprehensive evaluation of all 60-plus questions should be available by summer 2026 at the latest. Förster emphasizes that the survey does not claim to be representative. "Rather, the aim is to record and understand the existing cases," she says. The researchers want to find out why so few of those affected report their suspicions. The results should also help to develop better education and prevention strategies.
The study has not yet received any state funding. With a private donation of 5,000 euros and support from Chemnitz University of Technology, a campaign is currently underway with free postcards in the ten largest German cities. The marketing agency Saatchi & Saatchi and the women's network IVY Female Collective are helping on a voluntary basis with social media campaigns. "We hope that we will succeed in shedding more light on the number of unreported cases of the use of knockout drops," says Förster. The figures so far already show that the extent of the problem is greater than many people think.
Here is more information on the "Don't knock me out" research project.
