ALCOHOL AND VIOLENCE: A DANGEROUS LINK

In recent years, there has been an increase in public service messages to raise awareness about driving under the influence of alcohol.  In fact, the massive campaign against drinking and driving has been quite successful in reducing the number of drunk-driving accidents and fatalities.  However, people may think that as long as a person doesn’t get behind the wheel, it’s okay to drink.  But there are other potential dangers to the abuse of alcohol.  One particular problem that perhaps has not been stressed enough in the media is the link between alcohol use and violence.

Obviously, not everyone who drinks becomes violent, but in many violent crimes at least one person involved has been drinking.  It has been estimated that alcohol involvement is a factor in 63% of violent crimes.

Alcohol and Types of Violent Crimes

The risk of a person becoming violent is higher among heavy drinkers than light drinkers.  Heavy drinkers are also at higher risk of being victims of violent crime and are more likely to inflict and to receive violent injuries.  As environment where alcohol is prevalent is also a risk factor associated with gun injuries, particularly deaths among youths.  Alcohol plays a significant role in various types of violent crime.  Substantial numbers of sexual-assault victims and offenders were drinking before their crime occurred.  Spousal abuse by intoxicated men against women is the leading cause of nonfatal injury to women in the United States.

Marital violence by husbands is common among men who abuse alcohol.  Some researcher argue that spousal violence is the result of alcohol interfering with male power needs.  Various consequences result from spousal violence that include miscarriage, depression, posttraumatic stress, substance abuse, and spousal homicide.  Spousal violence incurs societal costs including mental and physical health care, criminal justice interventions, child welfare, social services, and lost productivity at work.  A recent study suggests that in order to reduce marital violence, substance abuse needs to be a focal point during treatment for domestic violence.

Campus Crime and the Effects of Alcohol

Of particular interest to college students are the data linking campus crimes to alcohol use.  The CORE Institute conducted a 2001 survey of 24,444 undergraduate students which suggests that when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs the students experienced the following violent consequences:

·         Argument or fight                                                    31.8%

·         Been hurt or injured                                                 16.5%

·         Threats of physical violence                                    58.8%

·         Ethnic harassment                                                    17.9%

·  Actual physical violence                                                             68.3%

·         Forced sexual intercourse                                        76.0%

·         Unwanted sexual intercourse                                 82.6%

·         Theft involving force or threat of force                   54.4%

Other violent consequences the students experienced include damaged property, driving under the influence, DWI/DUI arrests, and taking advantage of another person sexually.  This survey reported that 85.3% of the students used alcohol within the last year and 74.4% used alcohol within the 30 days prior to taking the survey.  This survey suggests that alcohol and other drugs play a large role in violent acts among college age students.  College students tend to drink more heavily than the general population and therefore are at an increased risk of experiencing violence.  When sexual assaults and rapes were reported, typically both the perpetrator and the victim had been drinking.

Impact of Alcohol and Violent Behavior

So why is alcohol a contributing factor in violent crime? Alcohol acts as a depressant, which can reduce a reaction time, impair cognition, and cloud judgment.  Such impairment could decrease the chances of avoiding personal injury once a physical altercation begins.  Alcohol also decreases inhibitions and may increase the likelihood of inflicting or receiving a severe injury during a violent act and has been shown to increase the severity of injuries obtained in violent acts.  Alcohol use interferes with attention and inhibits communication, both of which can drive aggressive behavior.

What Can You Do?

Although alcohol alone may not cause violence, when alcohol is introduced into a situation that has the potential to become violent, it can increase the chances that violence will occur.  As the number of drunk drivers on the road has decreased, so has the number of drunk-driving accidents and fatalities.  It seems logical assume that if alcohol is kept out of the hands of people who are predisposed to violence, the number of alcohol-related crimes may also decrease.

You can choose to use good common sense when you are drinking or if you are with people who are drinking.  Try to avoid potentially violent situations, and avoid people drinking around you who are acting in a reckless or violent manner.  Drink in moderation, and help your friends recognize when they have had too much.  Perhaps you or one of your friends can remain sober (a “designated thinker”) to help avoid potentially dangerous situations and stay safe while partying.  Finally, you can plan ahead by thinking carefully about an upcoming event before it happens.  By “thinking before you drink,” you can anticipate problems before they materialize and have solution strategies ready if they are needed.