Columbia University Health Services

Risk Reduction and Alcohol Abuse

Research shows that the use of alcohol is associated with 50-72% of all campus sexual assaults (e.g. Abby 2002, Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, 2001). While it is indeed possible to have consensual sex while under the influence of alcohol, it is undeniable that intoxication impairs judgment, and that each individual responds to the effects of alcohol in different ways. For this reason, an intoxicated person may not actually be able to consent to sexual activity, and a high potential for misinterpreting signals exists when either party is intoxicated. When using alcohol, it is important to learn your personal limits, as losing control of your own decision-making abilities puts you at higher risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of sexual assault. Being intoxicated does not release any initiator of sexual activity from his/her responsibility for obtaining consent. 

A. How can students reduce their risk of becoming a perpetrator/victim of sexual assault when alcohol use is involved? 

1) Assess the risk factors involved in social or intimate situations where alcohol is being consumed

a. Warning signals of controlling or possible abusive behavior:

• A person engineers a situation in which a woman or man is isolated from others
• You are in a social setting in which there is heavy drinking and bystanders are enabling and encouraging risky behavior
• A person is intoxicated and lacks the ability to make sound judgments and/or is demonstrating or indicates support of behavior that is aggressive or violent

b. Warning signals that a person may not be capable of consenting to sexual activity

• A person demonstrates an inability to make sound judgments
• A person’s speech is slurred, s/he seems “out of it,” s/he is stumbling, etc.

2) The following are some suggestions and measures you can take to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of sexual assault:

• Set limits regarding your use of alcohol consumption and what you want or do not want sexually
• Be aware of verbal and nonverbal cues that can alert you to a problem
• Trust your feelings and acknowledge the warning signals that arise in social/potentially intimate situations
• Do not assume the other person knows what you do or do not want; communicate what you want/do not want clearly, be verbal (do not rely on non-verbal messages)
• Avoid secluded places at the beginning of relationships
• Do not assume that if you are with a friend or an acquaintance, nothing bad will happen
• Remove yourself from the situation at the first sign that you are feeling controlled or unsafe
• Become comfortable with the idea that you might have to be rude, make noise, yell, etc. to remove yourself from a possible sexual assault situation; do not worry about hurting the other person's feelings
• Alcohol consumption can increase your vulnerability, and there may be people who want to take advantage of that vulnerability; be aware of how alcohol affects you and how much you can drink and still be in control
• If alcohol is affecting you negatively, stop drinking and/or drink water or eat food to minimize the alcohol’s effects
• Use the buddy system. Make sure you have a network of friends, who feel the same way you do about limits and boundaries, to go out with and keep tabs on each other

3) Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of becoming a perpetrator of sexual assault

• Be aware of your own assumptions and stereotypes regarding sex and alcohol
• Ask yourself what are your expectations regarding sex in a specific social/intimate setting
• Be aware of how your expectations regarding sex and the use of alcohol might be affecting your interpretation of cues and signals being given by another person
• Respect the limits of others when it comes to alcohol consumption and sexual activity
• Be aware of how alcohol is affecting your judgments and/or behaviors
• If alcohol is affecting you negatively, stop drinking and/or drink water or eat food to minimize the alcohol’s effect
• Understand that intoxication is a stop sign for sex; stop and ask the other person what s/he wants
• Ask yourself if the person is capable of consent given her/his level of intoxication

B. What can we do as a community?

 

• Be aware of the assumptions and stereotypes surrounding alcohol and sex and combat them
• Remember that it is important to drink responsibly and take care of yourself when consuming alcohol
• Remember that it is important for persons to be respectful of each other’s bodies, wishes, and desires
• As a friend, acquaintance, community member you can reduce risk by not engaging in enabling and bystander behaviors that encourage others to take unsafe risks or overlook a friend’s risk-taking behavior
• Set up “buddy systems” for friends and acquaintances when going out to social events and keep tabs on each other to ensure each other’s safety

 

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Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program (SVPRP) provides comprehensive and integrated education, support and advocacy about sexual and relationship violence. The program supports survivors and fosters individual and collective action to end sexual and relationship violence. For more information go to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program.

The Barnard Columbia Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center provides peer counseling and advocacy services for survivors and co-survivors of sexual and relationship violence. For more information go to the Barnard-Columbia Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center.

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