Behaviors and Norms Regarding Sexual Violence and Alcohol Use: How Do Service Members and College Students Compare

Sexual violence is a significant public health concern in the U.S. and commonly involves alcohol consumption. Risks for both sexual violence and alcohol misuse are elevated among young adults, and integrated prevention interventions are needed to address the intersection of these behaviors. Existing sexual violence and alcohol misuse prevention research often relies on college student samples, but the extent to which results generalize to other at-risk young adult populations remains to be determined. The current study compares sample characteristics, behaviors (sexual violence perpetration, sexual violence victimization, drinks of alcohol per week), norms (perceived drinking norms, sexual norms), and personal sexual beliefs between samples of U.S. active duty Navy service members and college students to inform tailored, integrated prevention intervention.

Data were derived from separate studies that included common data elements. The two samples consisted of 592 active duty Navy service members ages 18-24 and 2,160 college students ages 18-25, respectively.

Findings showed that Sailors and college students significantly differed on all sample characteristics (ps < .005), behaviors (ps < .04), and norms related to sexual violence and alcohol use (ps ≤ .002), with Sailors endorsing more severe behaviors and problematic norms pertaining to sexual violence and alcohol use.

Although both young adult subpopulations are at risk for sexual violence and alcohol misuse, related behaviors and norms differed between Sailors and college students, suggesting that integrated prevention approaches may require adaptations for each subpopulation, particularly for elevated risks in the military.