Alcohol and Rape

There are alarming statistics on the relationship between alcohol and sexual crimes. Since this drug is readily, cheaply and legally available throughout the country, and since its use is not just tolerated but encouraged among teens and young adults, it is important to understand the relationship between alcohol intoxication and sexual assault.

Research indicates that as many as half of all rapes are committed by males who have been drinking. Similarly, about half of the women who are raped have also been drinking. Usually both parties have consumed alcohol when a rape occurs. Although four out of five sexual assaults happen between people who know one another, rapes involving alcohol tend to take place between two people who know each other only slightly.

It is well known that alcohol is related to aggressive behavior. It is related to half of all violent crimes, not just sexual assaults. Alcohol acts on the brain to release inhibitions, suspend judgment, and interrupt higher brain functions. A woman who is drunk may be feeling free, released from normal constraints and may not recognize her risks and vulnerability in some situations. One of the most important research implications is the possibility that completed rapes are more likely when alcohol is involved. This is a very significant finding, because completed rapes have far more serious consequences for victims than do attempted rapes.

Drinking does not cause sexual violence. It may be that men who want to commit sexual offenses drink in order to gain "liquid courage" and to have an excuse for their behavior. It may also be true that women who drink, especially those who drink in bars or similar settings, are viewed as more sexually available, or "sexually loose," and so more "deserving" of forced sexual activity. Individuals who are sexually aggressive may deliberately facilitate a woman's drinking in order to increase her vulnerability.

A fun night should not turn into a nightmare for anyone. Education, some common sense preventive steps, and creating a sense of community responsibility can help prevent the sexual violence that too often accompanies the use of drugs and alcohol.