Thalia Heffernan left on roadside 'vomiting profusely' after horror spiking

• Author: Katie Gallagher
• Published date: 08 November 2021
• Publication title: DublinLive (Ireland)

Thalia told how she couldn't speak or walk "and was vomiting profusely" after she was spiked when she was just 17-years-old.

Almost ten years later, the 26-year-old said she now realises she was never at fault, and is hoping that speaking out about her experience will help open up the conversation and work towards clamping down on spiking following a recent spate of needle spiking reports.

"I didn't even tell my family," she said.

"I guess I kind of just was like 'maybe it was my own fault?' I didn't think it was a thing and I was very embarrassed and shameful that I let it happen.

"Which now, I was so young, and in hindsight it's not my fault and it's never the victim's fault you have to remember that.

"But now that it is being spoken about finally it is a lot easier for people to share their own experiences and I just hope that there are consequences when people are caught.

"And those consequences hopefully will stop this strange bizarre onslaught of spiking and spiking culture.

"It's one of those things that is sadly out of a lot of people's control. It's a culture that has been around for so long and I'm glad people are talking about it because it has been so long under the radar."

Detailing her terrifying experience for the first time, Thalia said: "Luckily I was put into a taxi before anything could happen in the bar, but that didn't stop the taxi driver stealing my phone, wallet and throwing me on the side of my road outside my house.

"Two people, and another taxi driver going by called the police for me, as I couldn't speak or walk and was vomiting profusely.

"Thankfully I was eventually brought into my house by the garda, she added.

"They thought I was just drunk, and didn't even wake my parents. I was 17.

"I am one of the lucky ones. Spike culture is real and incredibly dangerous. Don't f***ing spike."

After years of keeping it to herself, the revelation didn't only come as a shock to her fans and friends, it was also the first time her family learned of her traumatic experience too.

She went on: "My sister messaged me saying I never knew about this and I was like 'oh, I guess I never said it…' I think I was 17, so it was nine years or so...

"You'd be shocked at how many people it has happened to."

"Like the amount of people who reached out to me saying 'same thing happened to me' some people said it happened three or four times and I think I am very lucky that I have a place to talk to people freely about what happened to me.

"And I'm glad...