Negotiating meaning in a narrative world: The case of drink spiking victimization in Belgium

Abstract

Public concern about drink spiking has grown in Belgium and internationally, yet its prevalence and impact remain difficult to establish. The covert nature of the act and memory-impairing substances often leave victims with fragmented recollections and little evidence, creating profound uncertainty. This study examines how women navigate this ambiguity and construct meaning after suspected drink spiking, drawing on narrative and meaning-making theory. Findings from interviews with nine victims show that sense-making and meaning-making are distinct but interdependent processes. When sense-making is constrained by epistemic uncertainty, meaning-making becomes more fragile and more profoundly shaped by existing interpretive frameworks and external validation. These frameworks offer interpretive resources but also impose rigid norms about what counts as a ‘real’ drink spiking case, influencing perceptions of legitimacy, responsibility and victim status. This study contributes to narrative victimology by demonstrating how these layered uncertainties shape victims’ experiences and help‑seeking behaviour. It highlights the need for responses that reduce structural and interpersonal barriers and offer meaningful support after victimization.