Flemish winter bar offers test bracelets to detect date rape drugs
Winter bar Bar Perron in Brasschaat, Antwerp province, will be handing out free bracelets from Friday evening onwards that visitors can use to test whether someone has put GHB or other date rape drugs in their drink. Flemish justice minister Zuhal Demir announced at the end of November that she wanted to have such a bracelet developed. The owner of the Brasschaat bar has already sourced them directly from the United Kingdom.
“We had been in contact with a British company that makes such bracelets for some time,” explained Gertjan Van Looveren, owner of winter bar Bar Perron. According to Van Looveren, the company normally supplies the bracelets mainly to the British market, but after consultation, it agreed to supply the Brasschaat business as well.
The wristband has two test zones. “You put a drop of your drink on the substance,” explained Van Looveren. "If it stays green-yellow, there's no problem. If it turns bright blue, there is a substance in it that is not okay and we throw the drink away." Visitors can pick up the wristband for free at the bar, where the staff will help with the test if desired. Van Looveren himself pays two euros for each wristband.
According to the owner, there has never been a case of drugging or spiking in his bar or in the area. “There's always a family atmosphere here, but better safe than sorry. We just want people to be able to go out safely and get home safely.”
With this initiative, the Brasschaat winter bar anticipates the plans of Flemish justice minister Zuhal Demir, who announced at the end of November that she wants to develop a similar bracelet.
#FlandersNewsService | A test of a wristband that detects date rape drugs © BELGA PHOTO MAARTEN WEYNANTS
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