Abstract
BackgroundSexual offences are a global public health concern. Recent changes in the law in England and Wales have dramatically altered the legal landscape of sexual offences, but sexual assaults where the victim is voluntarily intoxicated by alcohol continue to have low conviction rates. Worldwide, students are high consumers of alcohol. This research aimed to compare male and female students in relation to their knowledge and attitudes about alcohol and sexual activity and to identify factors associated with being the victim of alcohol-related non-consensual sex.Methods1,110 students completed an online questionnaire. Drinking levels were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Non-consensual sexual experiences were measured using the Sexual Experience Survey. Univariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken using chi square and backwards stepwise logistic regression respectively.ResultsA third of respondents had experienced alcohol-related non-consensual sex. Male and female students differed in the importance they gave to cues in deciding if a person wished to have sex with them and their understanding of the law of consent. 82.2% of women who had experienced alcohol-related non-consensual sex were hazardous drinkers compared to 62.9% who drank at lower levels (P < 0.001). Differences existed between men and women, and between those who had and had not experienced alcohol-related non-consensual sex, in relation to assessments of culpability in scenarios depicting alcohol-related intercourse. A third of respondents believed that a significant proportion of rapes were false allegations; significantly more men than women responded in this way.ConclusionsAlcohol-related coerced sexual activity is a significant occurrence among students; attitudinal and knowledge differences between males and females may explain this. Educational messages that focus upon what is deemed acceptable sexual behaviour, the law and rape myths are needed but are set against a backdrop where drunkenness is commonplace.
Highlights
Sexual offences are a global public health concern
A review of the law in relation to sexual offences culminated in the Sexual Offences Act (2003); legislation that dramatically altered the legal landscape relating to sexual offences generally and the offence of rape
An example is the avoidance of the terms ‘rape’ and ‘sexual assault’ which participants frequently fail to respond to because they do not label their experiences as such, even if their experiences meet the legal definition for such offences
Summary
Recent changes in the law in England and Wales have dramatically altered the legal landscape of sexual offences, but sexual assaults where the victim is voluntarily intoxicated by alcohol continue to have low conviction rates. A review of the law in relation to sexual offences culminated in the Sexual Offences Act (2003); legislation that dramatically altered the legal landscape relating to sexual offences generally and the offence of rape . Despite these amendments concerns around the rape conviction rate remain [8,9,10,11]. Alleged sexual assaults are difficult to prosecute when the victim is voluntarily intoxicated by alcohol at the time of the incident [2,12]
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