Sexual Victimization Experiences and Binge Drinking Frequency Among Bisexual+ and Heterosexual Women

Bisexual women experience more sexual victimization, drink more, and engage in more frequent heavy episodic/binge drinking than heterosexual and lesbian women. However, few studies include women with other plurisexual identities (i.e. bisexual+ women), and fewer studies examine the relationship between sexual victimization and binge drinking in this population. Three hundred and eight women (122 bisexual+; aged 18-34) completed an online survey of their past‑year/since-age-14 sexual assault victimization experiences and past‑year alcohol use. We examined the relationship between bisexual+ identity and past‑year binge drinking frequency, moderated by past‑year and since-age-14 sexual victimization, with age and relationship status as covariates. Bisexual+ identity was not associated with past‑year binge drinking frequency, and there was no difference between bisexual+ and heterosexual women experiencing sexual victimization in the past year. We also explored whether there was a relationship between bisexual identity and past‑year sexual victimization, moderated by past‑year binge drinking. There was a significant interaction between past‑year sexual victimization and past‑year binge drinking frequency. Decomposing the interaction, bisexual+ women were more likely to report past‑year sexual victimization compared to heterosexual women at all levels of binge drinking frequency. These data provide insight into the relationship between sexual victimization and binge drinking frequency for bisexual+ women. It also indicates that reducing binge drinking alone may not reduce bisexual+ women's sexual victimization risk. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms of the association between drinking and sexual victimization in women with plurisexual identities.