Study examines alcohol and nonconsensual sexual experiences

In a study recently ePublished in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the authors found for women students an association between non-consensual sexual experiences prior to arriving at college and drinking behaviors after the first year of college.  Though the publication reads 2010, the study is based on data collected in 1991.

The discussion describes implications for prevention efforts. When the authors suggest “campus-sponsored sexual assault prevention presentations typically do not discuss alcohol as a risk factor” based on a 1991 publication, it does not really provide information that is helpful today.

What I really want to see is more research on prevention programs themselves.  Hopefully this will be the follow-up study.

The full citation and abstract are below:

Nonconsensual Sexual Experiences and Alcohol Consumption Among Women Entering College.

Ross LT, Kolars CL, Krahn DD, Gomberg ES, Clark G, Niehaus A. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 2010; ePublished March 17, 2010.

Click here for a link to the article on the journal’s web site.

(Copyright © 2010, Sage Publications)

The authors investigated the relationship between pre-college non-consensual sexual experiences (NSEs) and drinking among women entering college. College women (N = 797) at a midwestern university in the USA participated. Eighteen percent reported one or more NSE prior to arriving at college. Having a pre-college NSE was associated with recent drinking, binge drinking, and negative drinking consequences. The authors discuss implications for intervention and prevention programs targeting college women.