A risk–reduction approach to the concerning ‘slamming party’ fad

Picture it: Weeklong orgies with dozens of different people, nobody pausing for food or water for 48 hours at a time. Syringes filled with crystal meth being passed around just as often as partner changes occur. One minute you’re having sex in a bathhouse, the next you’re bent over a brass sink in what appears to be a Victorian–style mansion. Throughout the entire duration of these sex and drug–fueled parties, porn is being streamed on monitors displayed around the rooms and European trance music attempts to drown out the moans coming from the videos and the crowd.

This sounds like a scene that could be taken straight from a low–budget X–rated film. However, this is routine reality for many people living in the gay party scene in London.

Of course, it’s a minority of gay men who actually take part, but according to a recent article in VICE magazine, these parties – often called “slamming parties” – are a regular occurrence there. The term slamming is a euphemism for the combination of injecting drugs.

Matt Daly, reporter for VICE magazine, interviewed a 39–year–old publisher and former participant in London’s slamming parties. According to their conversation, these parties often land many participants in the hospital – and in extremely uncomfortable situations, at that.

“The stupid thing is that no one can ever (gets off) because crystal meth stops you from (orgasming) – as does Viagra – so it’s just never-ending sex,” said Tim, the publisher and former slammer. “It’s painful. Most people end up with no skin on their dicks and some end up in the hospital because of panic attacks brought on by too much crystal.”

Researchers and even former participants conclude that due to needle sharing and rates of unprotected sex, the trend is getting serious.  To add to the high–risk behavior that is already taking place, these parties are mainly organized via the ever–popular social networking sites Grindr and Bareback Real Time. The rates of positive HIV tests are climbing in London.

Azad, standing firm on his position of “hookup” apps, sent a letter on behalf of the trust to councils in London to address the problem of “recent and rapid rise in the use of crystal meth in the context of high–risk sex.”

And the same risky behavior is settling into Denver, too.

“Sex and meth really go hand in hand,” said the Mile High Recovery Project’s Steve D’Ascoli. “I’ve heard from clients about people throwing these kind of sex parties in hotel rooms here in Colorado, and that’s really just been in the past year.”

Sarah Millard, a prevention specialist with the Northern Colorado AIDS Project, said that the main point for health professionals to focus on in the case of slamming parties is the injection drug use.

“I think from a risk reduction perspective, if I had a client who came in and indicated that they were participating in slam parties, I would ask them to do a cost/benefit analysis with me,” Millard said. “I would ask a lot of questions about what happens at a slam party, if they use their own drugs, if it’s an anonymous party or if they know their partners.”

“It could happen that, while having sex on methamphetamines, people may be less aware than they normally would be, meaning that they might not use a condom, or may not use lube if they’re bottoming, which increases risk of contracting or transmitting HIV,” Millard said. “Additionally, if someone is sharing syringes or works with others, it could increase the risk of contracting or transmitting HIV or Hepatitis C, as well.”

To reduce risk, Millard recommends clients discuss status, or engage in parties where they already know and are comfortable with the other participants.

“I would always advocate for using condoms or lube, as well as giving resources to local syringe exchange programs where people can pick up new syringes for free.”

If the slamming parties are going to occur and members of our community are going to participate, then we need to be prepared for the risks. “If they don’t want to stop, it is important to help them come up with a plan to reduce their risk, whether it’s keeping condoms and or lube on hand, and using new needles and not sharing them,” Millard said.