Exploring Correlates of Alcohol-Specific Social Reactions in Alcohol-Involved Sexual Assaults

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study examined demographic, assault, and disclosure factors as predictors of survivors’ decisions to disclose preassault alcohol use and social reactions to their preassault alcohol use. Of survivors drinking prior to assault, those with more education and greater alcohol impairment or resistance during assault were more likely to disclose preassault drinking. Of women disclosing preassault drinking, those with more education and more violent assaults received more negative social reactions specific to their preassault drinking. Such negative reactions were more common for those telling parents, police, or medical professionals. Women with less education received more positive and negative social reactions specific to their preassault drinking. Disclosing preassault drinking in greater detail was related to positive social reactions specific to preassault drinking and greater alcohol impairment during assault was associated with both positive and negative social reactions specific to preassault drinking. Implications for research and intervention are provided for survivors disclosing alcohol-related sexual assaults.

KEYWORDS:

• disclosure
• preassault alcohol use
• sexual assault
• social reactions
• women

Acknowledgments

We thank Mark Relyea, Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir, Amanda Vasquez, Liana Peter-Hagene, Meghna Bhat, Cynthia Najdowski, Saloni Shah, Susan Zimmerman, Rene Bayley, Farnaz Mohammad-Ali, Shana Dubinsky, Diana Acosta, Brittany Tolar, and Gabriela Lopez for assistance with data collection.

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA #17429) to Sarah E. Ullman, Principal Investigator.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA #17429) to Sarah E. Ullman, Principal Investigator.