The Impact of alcohol use on sexual assault on college campuses: Risk Factor, awareness, prevention, and consequences
Marisol Brava Reyes
University of Central Florida
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The Impact of alcohol use on sexual assault on college campus: Risk Factor, awareness, and Consequences
Abstract:
This research will explore the effect of alcohol consumption on college campuses and its apparent correlation to sexual assault in campus. The study will analyze previous research on the topic, statistics, surveys, and data from few qualitative research results. Constructing on previous studies, adding new information, and giving data comparison. Giving an innovative consideration to the fact that there is not enough evidence or linking between alcohol and sexual assault, regardless of the many studies connecting both. Not much data has been found on the linkage of sexual assault in campus and the consumption of alcohol: data, surveys, and research analysis often focus on prevention, safety, and threats; revealing a lack of sufficient research on the investigations and analysis of the causes of sexual assault. leaving the study of the causes in the need of further research. The frequency of cases of sexual assault where the perpetrator and the victim both consumed alcohol or alcohol was a present factor, was, also, analyzed.
Key Words: sexual assault, date rape, alcohol abuse, consent while intoxicated, consent, peer pressure, college campus, violence, victims, campus assault, risk, threat, binge drinking, alcohol chugging, intoxication
Introduction:
Sexual assault on college campuses is a subject matter that has been study extensively; since early studies alcohol has been a factor or influencer of sexual assault. Consuming alcohol in college campus is a common and frequent practice among students and unfortunately, because of the lack of supervision, students tends to drink so much and are so careless that they constantly put themselves at risk of getting sick, and becoming victims of various crimes, including intoxication, public shame, sexual assault, and sometimes even death.
There is a strong connection found in cross-sectional samples showing that motives to drink increase or decrease, as an influencer or mediator of sexual assault (Lindgren, 2012), studies are deputed to bring the link of alcohol abuse, male drinking, and its perpetration of sexual assault to the cognizance of the research world with a claim of not enough evidence or previous research on the correlation of heavy drinking and rape (Gervais, 2014), The studies of previous models suggested that violence and alcohol abuse are clearly intertwined and a risk factor for both the perpetrator and the victim has been established (ACHA, 2007), Statistics show an increase in violence on college campuses when alcohol was present; according to The National Center for Education Statistics, “reliable indicators of the current state of school crime and safety across the nation and regularly updating and monitoring these indicators are important in ensuring the safety of our nation's students” (S., Zhang, Morgan, 2015), a common practice among students, administrators, and even the perpetrators is to blame the victim of sexual assault when alcohol was a factor, and observers saw the victim as a secret willing participant in a hypothetical scenario (Untied, Orchowski, Mastroleo, & Gidycz, 2012). This thesis will extensively present some new evidence to prove such correlation and will strengthen the information currently established.
Literature Review
College student’s pervasive alcohol Abuse
College students across America consume alcohol habitually, and as such, alcohol abuse has become a national epidemic. Ever since the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provided a report in 1976 about the abuse and misuse of alcohol in college campuses the social factors have changed tremendously. There are many different reasons why some college students will choose to drink alcohol regardless of the very well-known negative consequences. From genetics, social pressures, insecurities, just as entertainment, or to please their friends (peer pressure), student will abuse alcohol and receive backlash for their actions. “Consequences include missed classes, lower grades, injuries, sexual assaults, overdoses, memory blackouts, changes in brain function, lingering cognitive deficits, and death.” (White, Hingson, 2014). In a recent study conducted by the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami, researchers created a structural equation model (see table 1) to investigate the association between hazardous sexual behaviors, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and sexual enhancement alcohol expectancy. The model sample 353 female college students involved in a sexual assault or rape. According to the result, “Prevalence of alcohol-involved rape was 15.6%. Sexual enhancement alcohol expectancy were indirectly associated with alcohol-involved rape via increased levels of HED, greater likelihood of sex while intoxicated, and number of sex partners.” (Messman-Moore, Ward, DeNardi, 2013), The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) listed alcohol as one of “the most prevalent substance used in the United States, along with nicotine, cannabis and caffeine 1. DSM-5 estimates that 40% of individuals have experienced some type of adverse event related directly to alcohol consumption” (Fuertes, Huffman, 2016).
Sexual assault in college campuses, a ubiquitous fact:
The Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services define sexual assault as “any type of forced or coerced sexual contact or behavior that happens without consent. Sexual assault includes rape and attempted rape, child molestation, and sexual harassment or threats.” (Basile, 2015), college students, parents, faculty, and many citizens, across the United states have shown outrage and serious concern to the increment of sexual assault in college campuses. Federal and State Legislator are questioning the scope of the problem and are focusing on investigating, causes, risk factors, school response, and solutions to reduce sexual assault by enacting stronger laws for the perpetrator, holding colleges accountable for students’ safety, requesting colleges to provide better campus security, as well as helping to identify victims. (DeMatteo, Galloway, Arnold, Patel, 2015), reliable data has been accumulated and efforts to help victims has increased.
The department of Justices (DOJ) conducted a case study with two major universities; the researchers collected data via a web-based survey from 6,800 undergraduate students: There were 5,466 females and 1.375 males. The data concluded that 13.7% (see table II) of undergraduate female students have been a victim of some sort of physical sexual assault and alcohol or drugs were a major factor. (Krebs, PhD., Lindquist, PhD., Warner, M.A., Fisher, PhD., & Martin, PhD., 2007), the case study suggested that further studies need to incorporate clear messages about the risk and consequences of alcohol and drug use and the unequivocal influence on sexual assault in college campuses and the message should be part of any study involving sexual assault prevention and risk
reduction programming. It is apparent that alcohol and sexual assault have very negative effects for the victims, their families, other students, school staff, and the community at large.
Methods:
This research will analyze college students that voluntarily will be willing to be identified as victims or perpetrators of sexual abuse in their college campuses whether the assault occurred in the current semester or in a previous one. Moreover, the subjects have to be an undergraduate student who will be attending the University of Central Florida in the year of the study. Data will be collected voluntarily via email, in person interview, and a web-based survey. An email with the explanation of the intended research will be sent to all undergraduate students at the beginning of the semester with a link to the first web-based survey, which will include identifying questions of whether the students has been a victim of sexual assault in campus. The students who answer yes to having experienced sexual assault will be the subjects selected for the study. The University of Central Florida has a current attendance of 63,016 students, once a least 500 students qualified to be part of the survey, and they are willing participants, the research will commence. The second survey will be given to the selected five hundred students with pertinent questions to determine if alcohol was a factor in their sexual assault experience. We hope we can learn if years of research were correct by identifying alcohol as a major risk and influencer of sexual assault on college campuses. Furthermore, the study will analyze current risk, factors, and attitudes towards victims who used alcohol before they were assaulted. After all surveys are collected and the data is organized, the research will move on to test the hypothesis. The focus of the data will be to determine the strong correlation between alcohol consumption and sexual assault. The hypothesis of this research will be that students who use or abuse alcohol in campus have a higher risk of being sexually assaulted than those who are sober. The null hypothesis will be that sexual misconduct is present on the mind of the perpetrators with a history of sexual abuse without alcohol use. The alternative hypothesis will argue that alcohol enhances the risk of sexual misconduct even when the perpetrator did not have a history of sexual misconduct. The variables that will be use are alcohol intake frequency, variations on behaviors after alcohol consumptions, and the independent variable will be who provided the alcohol the day of the assault (the perpetrator or the victim). The sample population will consist of 250 female college students and 250 male college student who are going to be attending the University of Central Florida at the time of the study and will be identified as undergraduates.
Implications and Limitations:
By conducting this analysis, the researcher wishes to further extend the current data and make sure future researchers understand the strong correlation between alcohol abuse and sexual assault. The research survey questions were carefully selected (see Appendix A-B). If the null hypothesis is rejected or void, then it would mean that the research question will be confirmed. On the contrary, if the null hypothesis is valid, further research will be necessary to make a sound conclusion. The proposed research foresees many complications in its future execution. It will be very difficult to get students who willingly will disclose their alcohol abuse and or involvement in any act of sexual assault, in fear of repercussion. Furthermore, evidences suggest that college students who are victims of sexual assault tend to keep quiet and they normally don’t disclose such shameful situations. If the sample subjects are underage, then it will be more difficult for them to reveal their alcohol use.
If this hypothesis is confirmed it will help the university to identify proper prevention programs and will alleviate the burden of proof. There will have to be a follow-up research to compare data and to add more knowledge to such controversial topics; regardless of the outcome, further research will be needed to strengthen the current scientific concession on the subject matter and to help prevent future assaults and victims.
Table of content
Table II
References:
Basile, Ph.D., K. L. (2015, February). E-Publications. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/sexual-assault.html
Campus Violence. Journal of American College Health [serial online]. March 2007;55(5):261-
319. Available from: Education Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 24, 2016.
DeMatteo, D. (2015). Sexual Assault on College Campuses: A 50-State Survey of Criminal
Sexual Assault Statutes and Their Relevance to Campus Sexual Assault. Psychology, Public
Policy and Law, 21227.
Fuertes, J. N., & Hoffman, A. (2016). Alcohol consumption and abuse
Among college students: alarming rates among the best and the brightest. College Student Journal, 50(2), 236-240.
Gervais, S., DiLillo, D., & McChargue, D. (n.d). Understanding the Link Between Men's
Alcohol Use and Sexual Violence Perpetration: The Mediating Role of Sexual
Objectification. Psychology of Violence, 4(2), 156-169.
Krebs, Ph. D., C. P., Lindquist, Ph.D., C. H., Warner, M.A., T. D., Fisher,
Ph. D., B. S., & Martin, Ph. D., S. L. (n.d.). The Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study (pp. 1-
111, Rep. No. 221153). Award Number: 2004-WG-BX-0010
Lindgren, K. P., Neighbors, C., Blayney, J. A., Mullins, P. M., & Kaysen, D. (2012). Do
drinking motives mediate the association between sexual assault and problem drinking?
Addictive Behaviors, 37(3), 323-326. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2011.10.009
Messman-Moore, T. L., Ward, R. M., & DeNardi, K. A. (2013). The Impact of Sexual
Enhancement Alcohol Expectancies and Risky Behavior on Alcohol- Involved Rape Among College Women. Retrieved November 21, 2016, from http://vaw.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/05/06/1077801213487058.abstract
Richardson, B., & Shields, J. A. (2015). The real campus sexual assault problem--and how to fix
it: the answer: social limits, and limits on alcohol. Commentary, (3), 26
Robers, S., Zhang, A., Morgan, R. E., US Department of Justice, O. P., National Center for
Education Statistics, (., & American Institutes for, R. (2015). Indicators of School Crime and
Safety: 2014. NCES 2015-072/NCJ 248036. National Center for Education Statistics,
Untied, A., Orchowski, L., Mastroleo, N., & Gidycz, C. (2012). College Students' Social
Reactions to the Victim in a Hypothetical Sexual Assault Scenario: The Role of Victim and
Perpetrator Alcohol Use. Violence and Victims, 27(6), 957-972.
White, A., & Hingson, R. (2014). The Burden of Alcohol Use: Excessive
Alcohol Consumption and Related Consequences Among College Students. Retrieved November 16, 2016, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3908712/
Appendix A:
The Survey Questions:
The GSS questions for the first survey will go as follows:
What is your class standing?
1. Freshman
2. Sophomore
3. Junior
4. Senior
5. Graduate Student
6. Unsure/Other
Explanation:
The question would help identify the students’ place in the campus population, therefore explaining their education level. In my research I was only able to find a study on freshmen.
Since there is such limited information about a victims’ class status and how that plays a role in victimization.
This could help pin point the class that of victims and/or perpetrators most likely.
In order for this to be a valid question. The sample must only include current students.
Do you identify as:
1.Heterosexual or straight
2.Gay or lesbian
3.Bisexual
4.Asexual
5.Questioning
6.Not listed
7.Decline to state
Explanation:
This question helps identify the group of students more affected. It helps to classify assaults within any sexual preference. It also helps determine if different genders are vulnerable when it comes to sexual assault. In order to use this questions the students has to be a current students and either disclose their gender preference or keep it private.
Have you or anyone you know been a victim of sexual assault in campus?
1.Yes
2.No
3.I don’t know
4.I’d rather not say
Explanation:
This is a very important question in the survey, because it will help determine if the subject qualifies for further research. If the answer is no, then the subject is no longer part of the study any other answers will initiate further involvement.
Appendix B:
Survey Questions II
After the sample population is selected, then the survey will ask identifying new questions to test the hypothesis.
Have You ever consumed alcohol?
1. Yes
2. No
Explanation:
This question will help identify if the subject has ever encounter a situation where alcohol was present and the subject have previous experience with alcohol
How often have you been approached by someone who had been drinking alcohol in a campus social gathering?
1.Always
2.Often
3.Sometimes
4.Not often
5.Rarely
6.Never
7.I do not know if they had been drinking or not
8.I do not wish to answer
How many on-campus social gatherings were you a victim of an unwanted advances, sexual or threatening or otherwise, that did not result in physical assault?
1.0-2
2.3-5
3.6-8
4.9+
5.I do not wish to answer
How many on-campus social gatherings were you a victim or perpetrator of sexual assault?
1.0-2
2.3-5
3.6-8
4.9+
5.I do not wish to answer
If you are a victim of sexual assault, do you feel comfortable telling your university about the issue?
1.I am not a victim of campus sexual assault but would feel comfortable
2.I am not a victim of campus sexual assault but would not feel comfortable
3.I am a victim of campus sexual assault and do not feel comfortable
4.I am a victim of campus sexual assault and felt comfortable reporting
Do you consider alcohol an influencer of sexual assault?
1.Yes
2.No
3.Maybe
4.I’d rather not say
In your personal experience did alcohol play a major role in sexual assault?
1.Yes
2.No
3.It was the reason it happened
4.It would have happened anyway
5.I am not comfortable answering
From 0 to 10 How much do you think alcohol is related to sexual assault, 0 being not at all and 10 being definitely factor?
1.2. 3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 (select a number)
The population will be coded as follow:
Undergraduate female (UF)
Undergraduate male (UM)
A t-test will be use with a typical value of 0.05 giving the data a 95% confidence in the conclusion. One all data is gather a proposal for possible solutions will be given.
"Life is the result of our choices" - Brava
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