Kathleen A. Parks

The role of women's alcohol consumption in sexual victimization

This review examines whether womens alcohol consumption increases her likelihood of sexual victimization. Three types of studies are reviewed: (a) global association studies, that examine the correlation between typical alcohol consumption and sexual victimization; (b) event-based studies, that examine alcohol consumption at the time of victimization; and (c) studies that focus on specific mechanisms by which womens alcohol consumption may contribute to sexual assault, for example, by leading to cognitive impairment on the part of the woman or by influencing the perceptions of potential male perpetrators. The literature suggests that alcohol and sexual victimization are linked, however, the specific mechanism by which they are associated and the strength of the relationship remain unclear. Good quality survey and laboratory research that employs prospective and within-subject designs would greatly increase our understanding of alcohols role in sexual assault. Such methodologically sound studies will be extremely important for informing development of prevention and education programs for both females and males.

Bar Victimization of Women

Little is known about the types and specific circumstances that surround the victimization of women who drink in the public context of bars. This study provides a preliminary description of the types of violence experienced by women bar drinkers and the roles of exposure and impairment as risk factors for encountering bar-related aggression. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 52 women bar drinkers through self-administered questionnaires and focus-group discussions about their lifestyles, alcohol and drug use, and patterns of bar drinking. Nearly half of the women (48.1%) had experienced physical violence (e.g., assault) and one third (32.6%) had experienced either attempted or completed rape associated with drinking in a bar. Our findings indicate that women who regularly drink in bars experience a substantial amount of physical and sexual aggression associated with these settings.

Women's descriptions of drinking in bars : Reasons and risks

Fifty-two women bar drinkers participated infocus group discussions about womens reasons fordrinking, victimization experiences, and behaviors thatinfluence risk for victimization, in bars. The majority of the participants were White (67.3%),one-third were Black (30.8%), and one was NativeAmerican. Qualitative data analytic techniques were usedto assess the content of these discussions. Womendescribed distinct reasons for going to bars and providednumerous accounts of aggression they had witnessed orexperienced associated with this setting. Depictions ofphysical violence ranged from having an object thrown at them or being pushed, to accounts ofrape and attempted murder. These women also describedobservable changes in other womens behavior followingalcohol consumption, and how these behaviors increase risk for victimization in bars. The qualitativefindings are discussed in terms of what they tell usabout women bar drinkers and the insight theyprovide fordesigning future studies and interventions that focus on education and prevention.

Factors Influencing the Temporal Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Experiences with Aggression among College Women

The authors assessed temporal relationships among alcohol use, aggression, and mood using daily data from 179 college women. Participants called an interactive voice response system over an 8-week period. The odds of experiencing verbal, sexual, and physical aggression (odd ratios = 2.25, 19.44, and 11.84, respectively) were significantly higher on heavy drinking days (M = 7.46 drinks) compared to nondrinking days. Both a history of victimization and greater psychological symptom severity influenced the odds of involvement in verbal aggression. The odds of alcohol consumption were 3 times higher during the 24 hr following verbal aggression compared with days in which verbal aggression did not occur. On the day immediately following involvement in either verbal or physical aggression, positive mood decreased and negative mood increased. During the week (2-7 days) following sexual aggression, womens positive mood was decreased. These findings reinforce the need for interventions aimed at reducing heavy episodic drinking on college campuses.

Club Drugs: Reasons for and Consequences of Use

Abstract This preliminary descriptive study was designed to assess the reasons, primary contexts, and consequences (physical, psychological, lifestyle) of club drug use in a sample of young adults in a mid-size U.S. city. Fifty young adults (18 to 30 years old) reported on their use of club drugs (Ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, Rohypnol®, methamphetamine, LSD) in face-to-face interviews that included quantitative and qualitative measures. Ecstasy was the most frequently used club drug followed by ketamine, LSD and methamphetamine. All of the participants reported using club drugs to “experiment” and most reported using these drugs to feel good and enhance social activities. Club drugs were frequently used at raves, in bars or clubs, and at home with friends. An average of 16 negative physical, psychological, and lifestyle consequences were reported for club drug use. Despite substantial negative consequences, participants perceived several positive consequences of regular recreational club drug use. These findings corroborate descriptions of club drug use in other countries (e.g., Australia, United Kingdom) and provide additional information on perceived positive consequences that users experience with club drug use. Further exploration of the reasons and positive consequences that are associated with use of each of the club drugs may provide important information on the growing trend in use of these drugs.

Male bar drinkers' perspective on female bar drinkers

Five focus group discussions were conducted with 34 male bar drinkers to obtain their perception of the character and risks for aggression among women they observe in bars. The majority of the men were European American (61.8%), 29.4% were African American, and 8.8% were from other ethnic groups. Their impressions of women were based on appearance, type and speed of alcohol being consumed, and behavior. Every group suggested that women who dress in a sexually provocative manner or get drunk are more likely to be perceived as “loose” or sexually “easy” by men in general. These findings are consistent with stereotypes of women drinkers as sexually promiscuous and highlight the societal double standards for men and women who drink. The men described a woman calling attention to herself, being alone, out late, or having contact with many men in the bar as vulnerable. These findings are similar to those found during focus group discussions with women bar drinkers (K. A. Parks, B. A. Miller, R. L. Collins, & L. M. Zetes-Zanatta, 1998).

Women's bar-related victimization: Refining and testing a conceptual model

A model of bar victimization is proposed that explores the relationships among a womans exposure to the bar environment (i.e., frequency of going to bars), her intoxication in that setting (i.e., usual number of drinks), and such individual difference factors as her previous history of victimization (childhood sexual abuse, lifetime violence, and previous partner abuse) and personality characteristics (depression, serial anxiety, sensation seeking, and hostility). Earlier findings from work in this area suggest that exposure to the bar environment increases a womans risk for more severe aggression. The data being used to test the proposed model are from a survey of 198 women bar drinkers in western New York State. These women described bar-related victimization that ranged from verbal aggression (e.g., threats) through severe physical and sexual violence (e.g., assault and rape). Younger age, history of victimization, greater negative affect, and more frequent drinking in bars were predictive of more severe bar-related victimization during the past year. These findings are discussed in terms of womens risk for victimization in bars and needed areas of future research.

Sexual Victimization and Associated Risks Among Lesbian and Bisexual Women

This study examines relationships among childhood sexual abuse (CSA), risky alcohol use, and adult sexual victimization among bisexual and lesbian women. Half (51.2%) of women reported CSA and 71.2% reported adult sexual victimization. Perpetrators were generally male, and 56.4% of women’s most recent adult sexual victimization incidents occurred after coming out. Regression results indicated that adult sexual victimization severity was associated with a bisexual identity, more severe CSA history, more lifetime sexual partners, and higher alcohol severity scores. Compared to lesbians, bisexual women reported more severe adult sexual victimization experiences, greater revictimization, riskier drinking patterns, and more lifetime male sexual partners.

The Role of the Bar Context and Social Behaviors on Women’s Risk for Aggression

The present study is an initial examination of the extent to which the environmental characteristics of bars and social behaviors that women engage in when drinking in this setting are associated with bar-related aggression. As expected, several environ-mental characteristics (e.g., young patrons, pool playing) and social behaviors (e.g., alcohol consumption, leaving the bar with strangers) were associated with more severe bar-related aggression experienced by women during the past year. These results shed light on the significant problem of bar-related aggression against women and can potentially be used to develop prevention and educational programs.

An event-based analysis of aggression women experience in bars

The environmental and social circumstances in bars are likely to contribute to an individuals risk for becoming a victim. The present study was designed to assess differences that exist in these circumstances between times when aggression does and does not occur in bars. Participants were a subsample of 46 women who had previously participated in a larger survey of female bar drinkers. Using daily logs and biweekly interviews over 12 weeks, the author assessed the drinking patterns and aggressive experiences of these women. At times when aggression occurred women spent less time in the bar, consumed more alcohol, and reported feeling more intoxicated. Differences were found between sexual and nonsexual incidents and among the women on the basis of the type of aggression they had experienced. Women who experienced both sexual and nonsexual aggression reported using other drugs in addition to alcohol when drinking in bars. These findings and their implications for prevention are discussed.