Effect of Alcohol Use and Date Rape
Purpose
Estimates on sexual assault indicate that a worrying number of women have experienced sexual assault. About 25 percent of women in America have experienced sexual assault including rape, with more than half of the reported cases indicate consumption of alcohol by the victim, perpetrator or both (Abbey et al., 2001). Research has implicated alcohol as one of the factors for perpetration of sexual assault, indicating that it (alcohol) increases sexual aggression in a date situation (Bernat, Calhoun & Stolp, 1998). The prevalence of sexual assault and rape of adolescents and adult women is especially worrying, to a point it is called an epidemic. Sad is that most of the assaults are rarely reported, particularly for date rape (Abbey et al., 2001). A contributing factor to non-reporting is ideally the fact that some victims do not realize that such assault/rape fall within the legal frame of sexual abuse. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the effects of alcohol use and how it acts as a trigger for date rape.
Hypothesis
Often, alcohol impairs judgement causing individuals to act irrationally. According to Abbey et al. (2015), alcohol disrupts higher-order cognitive functions, rendering it impossible for one to pay attention to competing, contradictory information. Individuals under the influence of alcohol are therefore most likely to focus only on the most prominent prompts in a situation (Abbey et al., 2015). It is from this background, therefore, that it is hypothesized that alcohol is a great contributor to date rapes, essentially being the trigger to sexual aggression, while making the victim vulnerable to rape and sexual assault.
Method Summary
In the study of the effects of alcohol use and date rape, this paper will undertake a synthesis of primary research-based scholarly articles on the effects of alcohol on rape. The study will additionally sparingly reference secondary articles on the said topic, mostly articles that have synthesized primary research on the topic. The use of secondary sources will also include sources giving a general overview of the topic.
Results
One of the general agreements across literature on alcohol is the fact that it not only affects the levels aggressiveness among its consumers, but also the sexual behavior. Abbey et al. (2001), (2015), Bernat, Calhoun and Stolp (1998), and Markos (2005) indicate that while in fact the pharmacological effects of alcohol initial increase sexual arousal, while later suppressing the arousal, the expectancy among alcohol users increases sexual arousal. Specifically, males with a prior belief of sexual arousal with alcohol consumption eventually get the arousal even with a placebo of alcohol (Markos, 2005).
Statistics on sexual assault and rape on the other hand paint a grim picture. Not only do most cases go unreported even as others do not think of the actions of the other party a crime, but also stunning are the numbers. Abbey et al. (2001) inform that 27 percent of college women have experienced rape or attempted rape even as 25 and 8 percent of their male counterparts have committed sexual assault and rape respectively.
Further results put alcohol at the center of date-related sexual assault and rape. Bernat, Calhoun and Stolp (1998) confirm alcohol linkage to sexual aggression during a date situation. They inform that of the reported rapes during a date, half of the cases had the male perpetrator or female victim under the influence of alcohol. In a national study, Bernat, Calhoun and Stolp (1998) inform that findings on date rape indicate 74 percent of the perpetrators were under the influence of alcohol, while 55 percent of the victims had alcohol before the occurrence of the incident.
Other results on the other hand, indicate that alcohol does not really affect, but that it was taken as justification. Herein, while date-rape and alcohol consumption co-occur, the intention to commit rape essentially pushes the man to consume alcohol (Abbey et al. 2001). Alcohol intoxication in this case becomes the justification for the sexual assault, even though it was a premeditated action (Maurer & Robinson, 2008). Other justifications include the victims “asking for it” through their dressing and polite mannerism towards the date all of which are interpreted as “invitations” or leading the companion on and withdrawing after arousal, therefore justifying rape.
Discussion
There is linkage between heavy drinking and sexual assault. Studies indicate that heavy drinkers (men) were reported as more likely to commit sexual assault than non-drinkers (Abbey et al., 2001). Often, heavy drinkers do so in social situations, which more often than not result in sexual assault. The situations, such as parties, bars or spontaneous date are prime locations and situations for sexual assault. Therefore, while the pharmacological influence of alcohol is such that it heightens then later suppresses sexual arousal, while increasing the length of time either males or females take to reach orgasm, the belief in alcohol consumption as triggering arousal overpowers the pharmacological effects of alcohol (Abbey et al., 2015). Perhaps the common view of alcohol as an aphrodisiac and its ability to increase sexual desire and capacity work to negate the pharmacological effects of alcohol on the consumer. With an expectation of power, disinhibition, and aggressiveness after taking alcohol, female dates fall victim to this perception.
The high rate of sexual aggression and statistics on date rape point to the effect of alcohol on date rape. In comparison to sexual assaults that do not involve alcohol consumption, date rape rates in which one or both parties consumed alcohol are especially high. The fact that 74 percent of date rape cases involved perpetrators under the influence of alcohol while at the same time 55 percent of the victims had consumed alcohol points an accusing finger to alcohol (Bernat, Calhoun & Stolp, 1998). Further statistics place blame on alcohol for date rape and other form of sexual assault. According to Markos (2005), data collected on date rapists indicates that 40-63% of rape case studies found that the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol. Police records on reported date rape on the other hand indicate that both the victim and offender were under the influence of alcohol in up to 72 percent of the cases under investigation (Markos, 2005). Noteworthy, however, of these statistics is that while they point accusing finger to alcohol use in the rape cases reported, these are only a fraction of all rape cases. The fact that some women do not report or know the sexual assault as falling within the auspices of legally defined rape points to the possibility of even higher rates and cases of date rapes under alcohol influence.
Perhaps of even more concern is the fact that some perpetrators of rape use alcohol as a justification for rape and sexual assault. Worth noting for this is the cognitive pathway influenced by alcohol in perpetrating date rape. Abbey et al. (2015) contend that alcohol encourages poor decision-making by numbing the ability to consider the potential negative consequences of their actions. Further, studies show that alcohol heavily inhibits/impairs recall pushing individual to engaging in potentially dangerous behavior given the lack or reduced anxiety over such actions (Abbey et al., 2015). In this case therefore, perpetrators almost have a leeway to act irresponsibly, later blaming it on alcohol with little to no feeling of guilt for their actions.
Alcohol use influence on cognitive impairment further creates a sense of entitlement among date rape perpetrators. With more focus on the salient, perpetrators perceive dressing, kind mannerism and the very presence of the victim at the date as invitations (Maurer & Robinson, 2008). This is a perception held not only by the perpetrator, but by other third parties (Abbey et al. 2001). Under the influence of alcohol, perpetrators are additionally quick to act on traditional stereotypes on gender roles, which essentially justify the rape. Such stereotypes include the assumption that women say ‘no’ when in fact they mean ‘yes’ and that women indeed ‘enjoy forced sex’ (Abbey et al. 2001). Walking within this cloud of traditional stereotypes, perpetrators see a push against their advances by their date as ‘playing hard to get’ or not to ‘seem loose,’ therefore continuing in their aggression raping the woman.
Alcohol impairs judgement and often causes individuals to do things they eventually regret. Statistics indicate that the bulk of date rapes happen when either one or both the parties were under the influence of alcohol. It is indeed alarming that most date rapes are not reported due to ignorance and victimization of the victim. Additionally, many of the reported cases are dismissed or taken lightly given the element of alcohol. It is factual that alcohol affects judgement and therefore is the main culprit for date rapes, although some individual use it as justification for their actions. It is important for authorities to act against individuals who take advantage of others and blame it on alcohol.
References
Abbey, A. et al. (2015). Alcohol’s effect on perception of a potential date rape. J Stud Alcohol, 64(5), 669-667. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4487909/.
Abbey, A., Zawacki, T., Buck, P. O., Clinton, A. M., & McAuslan, P. (2001). Alcohol and sexual assault. Alcohol Research and Health, 25(1), 43-51. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/222387501?accountid=1611.
Bernat, J. A., Calhoun, K. S., & Stolp, S. (1998). Sexually aggressive men’s response to a date rape analogue: Alcohol as a disinhibiting cue. The Journal of Sex Research, 35(4), 341-348. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/215280689?accountid=1611.
Markos, A. R. (2005). Alcohol and sexual behavior. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 16(2), 123-7. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/206849562?accountid=1611.
Maurer, T., W. & Robinson, D., W. (2008). Effects of attire, alcohol, and gender on perceptions of date rape. Sex Roles, 53, 423-434.