Alcohol and sexual assault victimization: Research findings and future directions

Alcohol use by victims and/or offenders is associated with at least half of all sexual assaults (Abbey, 2002). However, the bidirectional relationship between alcohol and sexual assault is convoluted. While there is a significant body of literature dedicated to examining this association, the relationship remains unclear, and comprehensive recent literature reviews are lacking. This review focuses on the relationship between alcohol consumption and adult sexual assault among individuals in the general and college student populations. Studies from 2000 to the present are included and focused on: (a) the prevalence of alcohol-related sexual assault, (b) the link (and directionality) between alcohol and sexual assault, (c) the role of situational and behavioral risk factors for alcohol-related sexual assault; (d) disclosure, social reactions, and recovery outcomes, specific to alcohol-involved assaults; (e) mediators and moderators of the link between alcohol and sexual assault; and (f) directions for future research.