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ALCOHOL & SEXUAL

ASSAULT
B Y: B R I TA N Y K L A R I C H
WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
W H E N A L C O H O L I S I N V O LV E D ?
LETS START BY DEFINING THE TERMS

Sexual Assault Rape


: illegal sexual contact
that usually involves force
upon a person without
consent or is inflicted upon
a person who is incapable
of giving consent (as : to seize and take
because of age or physical away by force
or mental incapacity) or
who places the assailant
(as a doctor) in a position
of trust or authority

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
/
WHY ALCOHOL CAN LEAD TO AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE
ALCOHOLS EFFECT ON SELF
REGULATION
When alcohol is
consumed it first affects
the cerebral cortex,
which is the area of
brain that controls
behavior and reasoning.
This is turns makes a
person who is
intoxicated feel less
inhibition to follow social
norms and requirements
of the law.
RESEARCH INDICATES THREE LINKS TO
AGGRESSION AND ALCOHOL
Disinhibition Theory:
alcohol impairs the prefrontal
cortex which controls the
ability to regulate expressions
and aggressive behavior.
Cognitive-Expectation
Theory: preconceived notions
of how alcohol is suppose to
take effect creates
expectations for drinking
Alcohol Myopia Theory: is
the inability to pick up on
social cues and levels of
appropriateness.
(Levinthal, 2016,8.7.3)
RATES OF VIOLENT CRIMES INVOLVING
ALCOHOL
50% of all violent crimes
involve the consumption
of alcohol.
50% of sexual assaults
are committed by men
under the influence of
alcohol.
50% of sexual assault
victims reported drinking
when they were assaulted

(Abbey et al. 1994; Crowell and Burgess 1996;


Collins and Messerschmidt 1993).
RATES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE
IN UTAH

It is difficult to know the exact


prevalence of sexual assault
primarily because rape and
sexual assault often go
unreported by victims.
However with the use of
interviews, police reports and
surveys researchers estimate
that one in eight Utah women
will be raped and one in 50
Utah men will be raped in their
lifetimes. (Utah Department of
Health, 2008)
WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY THE ROLE
ALCOHOL HAS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT
In the publication Alcohol and Sexual Assault the
correlation between sexual assault and alcohol is
difficult to assess because of two primary
constraints. First, victims often have difficulty
recounting the crime accurately due to reasons of
intoxication or memory lapse. Second, it is
difficult to conduct specifically controlled
laboratory studies because encouraging violence
would be unethical. Therefor, researchers use a
combination of victims surveys and controlled
studies showing what respondents reactions
were to pornography and sexual assault
scenarios.
FACTORS OF ALCOHOL CONTRIBUTING
TO SEXUAL ASSAULT

Victim Assailant
Heavy consumption leads Heavy consumption leads
to impairment in decision to impairment in decision
making and response making and appropriate
Heavy drinking is typically response
done in bars or parties. The assailant may have
The victim is likely to be stereotypes about the
unfamiliar with the people type of women that drink
and possible threats. being more sexually
Impaired motor skills available.
making it difficult to resist Drinking is the excuse for
unwanted interactions unacceptable behavior
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
TIPS FOR SAFE DRINKING
Know the people you are with
and dont take drinks from
strangers.
Keep track of how many drinks
your consuming and making sure
its not on a empty stomach.
Consume water in between
drinks.
Drink slowly and take breaks in
between drinking more.
Keep a close eye on your friends
if your at a bar or party.
Always stay with your friends and
have a designated driver that you
trust take you home.
REFERENCES

ABBEY, A.; ROSS, L.T.; AND MCDUFFIE, D. Alcohols role in sexual assault. In: Watson
R.R., ed.Drug and Alcohol Abuse Reviews: Volume 5 Addictive Behaviors in
Women.Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, 1994. p. 97 123.

COLLINS, J.J., AND MESSERSCHMIDT, P.M. Epidemiology of alcohol-related


violence.Alcohol Health & Research World17:93 100, 1993.

CROWELL, N.A., AND BURGESS, A.W.Understanding Violence Against


Women.Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1996.

LEVINTHAL, CHARLES F.Drugs, Behavior and Modern Society. 8th ed. N.p.: Pearson,
Ebook.

Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Utah Department of Health. (2008). Utah Health Status Update: Sexual Violence. April
2008.

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