BOSTON (March 16, 2026) – Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata (District 1) held a hearing to review progress and identify further opportunities to address drink spiking and drug-facilitated sexual assault. Coletta Zapata sponsored the hearing to review the City’s ongoing efforts on this issue, examine updated data on suspected drink spiking incidents, and assess remaining service gaps in testing, reporting, survivor care, and prevention. The hearing also explored opportunities to align municipal strategies with pending state legislation and national best practices. The discussion was timely particularly in the midst of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
“Public safety means ensuring people can enjoy our city without worrying that their drink could be tampered with. Boston has taken important steps to address the challenges of drink spiking, but the burden of prevention should never fall on victims. Our focus must be on preventing these incidents in the first place and ensuring clear pathways to care and support when they do occur,” said Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. “By bringing everyone to the table from restaurants and bars to hospitals and community organizations we can strengthen prevention, provide businesses with the tools to protect patrons, and improve the support systems available to survivors. I look forward to continuing this important conversation.”
During the hearing, Councilors heard from representatives of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative at the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Police Department, the Boston Licensing Board, and the Office of Nightlife Economy. Boston Police officials highlighted their ongoing work the past three years in addressing drink spiking incidents, sharing they’ve taken steps to combat the issue through training, tracking, public awareness, and partnerships. They also stressed the need for collaboration among government agencies, community advocates, and local colleges to improve awareness and ensure individuals know what steps to take if an incident occurs.
Representatives from the Boston Licensing Board and the Office of Nightlife Economy emphasized that their top priority is ensuring members of the public can enjoy Boston’s nightlife safely. The Licensing Board works to reinforce clear expectations for license holders, encouraging them to remain vigilant for suspicious behavior and to actively maintain safe environments within their establishments. The Board also shared that it provides reporting materials and training to help businesses respond appropriately when concerns arise. The Office of Nightlife Economy noted that it has distributed more than 33,000 drink covers to establishments and community members as a preventative measure.
Councilors cautioned that with several major events scheduled across Boston over the next year, concerns about public safety, particularly the potential for increased risks, have emerged. Boston Police officials stated that the department has been actively preparing for the anticipated rise in activity. They emphasized that their focus will remain on maintaining strong public safety protections, pursuing grants to strengthen protective services, and ensuring the department is fully prepared to respond effectively during these events.
Survivors testified and shared their personal experiences of having their drinks drugged while in Boston, describing the lasting impact of these incidents and the challenges of coping with those memories. They also emphasized the need for the City to take stronger action to prevent similar experiences from happening to others.
Since joining the Boston City Council, Coletta Zapata has led conversations focused on addressing drink spiking in the City of Boston and making meaningful progress to combat contaminated drinks. Her work has included partnering with the Boston Police Department to improve internal reporting systems and strengthen resources to prevent predatory behavior. She also led a successful partnership with the Office of Nightlife to distribute drink covers and help prevent drink spiking, and secured a commitment from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association to train servers to identify perpetrators and support potential victims. Most recently, Councilor Coletta Zapata testified at the State House in support of Senator Paul Feeney’s Bill S.1537, which would ensure accessible, reliable drug testing in hospitals and ERs across the Commonwealth.
“We must center our survivors in our conversations about– and our responses to– drink spiking, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and all forms of sexual violence. We best honor survivors when we prevent and respond to these forms of violence with urgency, and Boston’s efforts must reflect the gravity of these trespasses,” said Councilor At-Large Henry Santana, Chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee.
A recording of the hearing can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-V2u0jIcRY. This docket will remain in the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee.
For additional information please contact the Office of Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata by phone at (617) 635-3200 or by email at gabriela.ramirez@boston.gov.
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