Researchers at the University of Georgia have concluded freshman female students that drink alcohol are more likely to be victims of sexual assault.
The study, published in the journal Violence and Victims, found that first-year female college students who drank four or more alcoholic drinks in one day at the start of the study were 33 percent more likely to be victims of a sexual assault in the following months. Women who drank four alcoholic beverages during two days or more were 17 percent more likely to be sexually assaulted later. In contrast, 6 percent of the non-drinkers experienced a sexual assault during the course of the study.
For the purposes of the study, sexual assault included any unwanted sexual contact, ranging from unwanted kissing to rape.
"It's not just the amount you're drinking — it's the pattern," said lead author Emily Mouilso, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "Even if the volume of alcohol is the same, when you drink it all at once, you are putting yourself at the highest risk."
Nearly 200 UGA freshmen participated in the study. Researchers monitored drinking patterns from August through May and met with each participant three times.
To determine alcohol consumption, participants were given a blank calendar of the previous month and asked questions intended to trigger memories. For example, researchers asked participants if any birthday or other celebrations occurred during the previous month. The women self-reported how much alcohol they consumed each day during the selected time period. They also reported any sexual assaults.
"The main take-home point is that binge drinking at the start of the year increases risk for freshmen college women for later sexual assault during their first year of college," said co-author Sarah Fischer, UGA assistant professor of psychology.
Both researchers stressed the importance of avoiding a "victim blaming" mentality when considering the results of their study. Mouilso said sexual assaults are always the complete responsibility of the person who pressures or forces the other to engage in any unwanted sexual act.
Karen S. Calhoun, also of UGA, was a third author of the study, which was supported through funding from the UGA Research Foundation.
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