Get Educated: Under the Influence

Let's start with physical effects that alcohol causes when consumed. The effects of alcohol are predictable and progressive. As a person becomes more intoxicated, impairment worsens. Beginning with the first drink, alcohol can impair inhibitions and judgment.

What happens when a person's inhibitions and judgment are impaired? Good things—people are friendlier, funnier, and more talkative. Not so good things—people take risks they wouldn't normally. For example, some may find themselves in situations that are uncomfortable or unsafe. Some may misjudge their abilities to do something. For example, they may believe that they can run faster than they actually can, or drink more than they can actually handle.

As blood alcohol increases, more physical impairment occurs. Take the Role of Alcohol Quiz now!

Coercion

The use of alcohol for sexual purposes can often be a coercive tactic. Coercion is explained as a continuum of activities, ranging from subtle to overt:

• encouraging someone to disregard personal boundaries
• encouraging someone to drink alcohol
• actively pressuring someone to drink
• supplying someone with alcohol for the sole purpose of engaging in sex with that person

Although coercive tactics like pressuring someone to drink in order to have sex may not necessarily meet the legal definition of sexual assault, it is morally questionable. 99% of William and Mary students agree that it is NOT cool to get a woman drunk in order to have sex with her. Coercion also undermines the community of safety, trust, and honor.

Expectancies

Expectancies are simply the things we expect to happen when we drink. Although alcohol often causes increased feelings of sexual arousal, these feelings can be intensified if people expect to feel this way. This is not to say that sexual assault is caused by intensified feelings of sexual arousal, but that a person's expectancies of what could happen when drinking can lead to engaging in forceful, aggressive behavior regarding sexual arousal. Sexual assault is not a result of extreme arousal, but a result of forcefully imposing sex against a person's will.

Gender stereotypes and social expectations can also support certain behaviors while condemning others. For example, what assumptions are made about women who frequently drink at parties or bars? What allowances are made for men when alcohol consumption gets out of hand?

Wanting intimacy, affection, and sexual contact is natural for all human beings. Depending on upbringing, personal values, and perceptions of the expectations of others, we may attribute shame, embarrassment, or other inhibiting feelings to sex. Needing alcohol in order to socialize or engage in sexual activity might indicate some level of dependency. Talking these feelings over with a counselor could be very helpful.

Communication

The physical and mental effects of alcohol use can result in major communication problems between potential partners. One result of impaired judgment is that men and women can send conflicting messages and misinterpret messages of sexual interest.*

An Example
A man and woman are talking while intoxicated. The man is more likely to interpret the situation as sexual, or to interpret the woman's friendliness as sexual interest. On the other hand, the woman is less likely to pick up subtle cues that the situation is becoming more sexual.

Communication is difficult under the best circumstances - adding alcohol significantly ups the level of difficulty.

*Norris, J, and Kerr, KL. Alcohol and violent pornography: Responses to permissive and nonpermissive cues. Journal of Studies on Alcohol Suppl. 11: 118-127, 1993

*Abbey, A; Ross, LT, McDuffe, D; and McAuslan, P. Alcohol, misperception, and sexual assault: how and why are they linked? In: Buss, DM, and Malamuth, N, eds. Sex, Power, Conflict: Evolutionary and Feminist Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. pp.138-161.

Who Is Responsible?

When alcohol is involved in a sexual assault, we do know that victims are generally held MORE responsible ("They shouldn't have been drinking") and offenders are generally held LESS responsible ("Well, they had been drinking"). Is this fair?

Yes

No

Unsure