Weekly Drinking and Binge Drinking Mediate the Association Between Drinking Location and Sexual Coercion

Area of Science:

• Social Science
• Public Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for sexual assault.
• Research on alcohol's association with sexual coercion experiences is limited.
• Off-campus parties and bars are common high-alcohol consumption settings for college students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if alcohol use mediates the link between drinking locations and sexual coercion.
• To examine the role of drinks per week and binge drinking in this relationship.
• To identify risk factors for sexual coercion among college women.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 295 undergraduate women (mean age 21.17) who drank in the past 30 days.
• Assessed frequency of drinking at off-campus parties and bars/restaurants.
• Measured alcohol consumption (drinks per week, binge drinking) and sexual coercion experiences.

Main Results:

• 29.8% of participants experienced sexual coercion in the past 30 days.
• Sexual coercion was associated with higher drinks per week, binge drinking, and frequent off-campus party attendance.
• Drinks per week significantly mediated the relationship between drinking location frequency and sexual coercion.

Conclusions:

• Frequent drinking at off-campus parties and bars increases weekly alcohol consumption, elevating sexual coercion risk.
• Binge drinking mediated the bar/restaurant-sexual coercion link, but not for off-campus parties.
• Interventions should address how drinking locations interact with alcohol use to increase sexual coercion risk in college students.