The basics

The following information has come from the Celebrating Safely initiative, a campaign led by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria.

• Too much alcohol at parties leading to passing out, throwing up, being out of control and doing embarrassing things
• The possibility of gatecrashers turning up, fights or violence
• Outcomes from unwanted sex-related activities
• Drink spiking

How good a mate are you?

Going out with trusted mates and looking out for each other is a good way of staying safe. Do the smart thing and:

• Don’t leave your mates on their own
• Carry the mobile phone numbers of your trusted friends
• Organise a good way to get to and from the party: a lift by someone's parents, a cab or a designated driver
• Let your friends know when you are leaving the party
• If you see a friend leaving with someone new, see if they are OK
• Organise a meeting place on the night
• Walk in a group, and keep to main streets and well-lit areas
• Stick with your mates - remember that it could be unsafe to go home alone or with someone you have just met

Water safety: the risks are real

Here are some common sense tips if you're partying near water.

• “Play it safe, take your mates" - never swim or surf alone
• Never swim when you have been drinking or taking drugs
• Don’t swim at night
• Check it is OK to swim before you get in
• If you don’t know the depth of the water, don’t dive in
  

Myth busters

Myth: Eating certain types of food like plain white bread while you drink helps to soak up the alcohol so you can drink more.
Wrong! All alcohol consumed will reach the bloodstream, regardless of how much food the person eats or what else he/she drinks.

Myth: It’s not illegal to spike a mate’s drink with drugs or alcohol.
Wrong! Yes it is! Offenders who "spike" people's drinks will face up to two years in jail - even if no harm or impairment is caused - under State Government legislation introduced in October 2008.

Myth: Calling an ambulance means calling the police.
Wrong! No it doesn’t. Police will hardly ever attend an ambulance call-out. Sometimes people are scared to call an ambulance because they think the police will show up and they will get in trouble. This puts lives at risk.

Myth: Everyone gets drunk at parties.
Wrong! No they don't! In 2005, a survey of Australian Secondary school students found that 52% of all students aged 12-17 were non-drinkers, while 23% were occasional drinkers and 19% said they were party drinkers.

10 tips when celebrating

Be a Good Friend
Don’t leave your mates on their own.

Trust Your Instincts
If you don’t feel safe you probably aren’t.

Think
Drugs & alcohol affect your judgement & stop you thinking clearly.

Mix it Up
Drink water & eat food between alcoholic drinks.

Think Ahead
Organise a safe place to meet in case you get separated from friends.

Keys Please
Drinking & driving don’t mix, not for you & not for your friends.

Drink Spiking
If you are unsure about your drink, don’t drink it.

No Means No
Pressuring someone else into having sex is sexual assault.

Know Your Rights
Check out www.lawstuff.org.au

Talk it out
At school you could talk to a counsellor, welfare officer, nurse or teacher.