Alcohol and Sexual Aggression: Reciprocal Relationships Over Time in a Sample of High-Risk Women

Abstract

Although alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems are positively associated with women's experiences of sexual aggression, the direction of causality is not clear. A longitudinal design was used to examine the impact of women's alcohol consumption and alcohol problems on subsequent experiences of sexual aggression and to examine the impact of sexual aggression experiences on subsequent alcohol use and alcohol problems. The sample consisted of 93 single women, ages 20 to 35, who were at elevated risk for both alcohol-related problems and sexual aggression. After controlling for initial sexual aggression, alcohol problems predicted subsequent sexual aggression. Initial sexual aggression did not result in increased alcohol consumption or alcohol-related problems. Previous sexual aggression experiences and alcohol consumption were associated with higher perceived vulnerability to subsequent sexual aggression. Furthermore, perceived vulnerability to sexual aggression was positively associated with actual Time 2 experiences of aggression, suggesting some degree of accuracy in appraisals of risk.