Alcohol and Sexual Assault

Abstract

Conservative estimates of sexual assault prevalence suggest that 25 percent of American women have experienced sexual assault, including rape. Approximately one-half of those cases involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, victim, or both. Alcohol contributes to sexual assault through multiple pathways, often exacerbating existing risk factors. Beliefs about alcohol's effects on sexual and aggressive behavior, stereotypes about drinking women, and alcohol's effects on cognitive and motor skills contribute to alcohol-involved sexual assault. Despite advances in researchers' understanding of the relationships between alcohol consumption and sexual assault, many questions still need to be addressed in future studies.Keywords sexual offense; assault and battery; aggressive behavior; AODR (alcohol or other drug [AOD] related) behavioral problem; AODR violence; AODR interpersonal and societal problems; personality trait related to social interaction; AOD expectancies; victim of abuse; social context; alcohol cue Sexual assault 1 of adolescent and adult women has been called a silent epidemic, because it occurs at high rates yet is rarely reported to the authorities (Koss 1988). Several reasons contribute to the underreporting of sexual assault cases. Many victims do not tell others about the assault, because they fear that they will not be believed or will be derogated, which, according to research findings, is a valid concern (Abbey et al. 1996b). Other victims

An Essay on Sleep-Related Sexual Behaviours and Offences Related to Sexual Behaviours

“…Alcohol does though have a disinhibiting role in sexual assaults, it reduces inhibitions, clouds judgements and impairs ability to interpret cues [91]. As lack of reporting causes a problem in identifying the precise incidence of alcohol being associated with rape, the estimates are similar to violent crime in general and range between 34-74% [92]. The role of alcohol is complex [96].…”

“…Conservative estimates suggest that at least 25 percent of American women have been assaulted in adolescence or adulthood and that 18 percent have been raped. Furthermore, at least 20 percent of American men report having perpetrated sexual assault and 5 percent report having committed rape [92].…”

Substance Use During Sexual and Physical Assault in HIV-Infected Persons

“…An alternative explanation to the gender findings is the possibility that the social situations around which sexual assault occurs differ for men and women. Women may be more likely fall victim to sexual assault when they are in social situations that encourage both drinking and sexual pursuit, like bars or parties (Abbey et al, 2001), and perhaps the environments for victimization of men differ. Additionally, whether differences exist in the social situations and environments that lead to intimate partner violence against men who have sex with men versus heterosexual men is unclear from our study.…”

“…High rates of chronic drug and alcohol abuse have been described among both assailants and victims of violent crimes, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence (Abbey, Zawacki, Buck, Clinton, & McAuslan, 2001;Chermack & Blow, 2002;Cunradi, Caetano, Clark, & Schafer, 1999;Cunradi, Caetano, & Schafer, 2002;Kilpatrick, Acierno, Resnick, Saunders, & Best, 1997;Lown & Vega, 2001;Rivara et al, 1997;Sharps, Campbell, Campbell, Gary, & Webster, 2001;Zavala & French, 2003). Other work has also shown that assailants and victims of sexual and physical violence are often substance using at the time of the event (Caetano, Schafer, & Cunradi, 2001;Chermack & Blow, 2002;Kantor & Straus, 1989;Mohler-Kuo, Dowdall, Koss, & Wechsler, 2004;Thompson & Kingree, 2004).…”

“…In these situations, alcohol may affect cognitive ability and reduce inhibitions that ultimately lead to assault. Another contributing factor may be the social situations in which violence occurs; for example, certain situations may encourage both drinking and sexual assault, such as bars or parties (Abbey et al, 2001). …”