It’s no secret that alcohol is everywhere on college campuses. Binge drinking is a frequent occurrence, even for those who are underage. Unfortunately, alcohol also plays a key role in numerous cases of sexual assault.
How Alcohol Affects Behavior
Alcohol is never the sole cause of sexual assault. However, how alcohol affects the brain may lead individuals to be more likely to commit sexual assault.
Alcohol leads to:
- Increased aggression
- Loss of inhibition
- Impulsive behavior
- Ignoring consequences
Sexual Assault on Campus
Sexual assault on campus is an epidemic.
- About 25% of women will experience sexual assault during college.
- Students who live on-campus are more likely to be victims of sexual assault.
- Most campus assaults occur between August and November.
- Rape is the most under-reported crime, especially among college students.
Where Alcohol and Sexual Assault Connect
Alcohol is involved in over 50% of all campus sexual assaults and is a serious risk factor for committing rape. While often glorified in the media, the campus party scene comes with very real dangers of sexual violence.
Alcohol isn’t only a risk factor for committing sexual assault. Research has found that individuals who drink heavily are over twice as likely to be the victim of a sexual assault.
Date Rape Drugs
In some cases, college students will use date rape drugs on their peers, in order to commit a sexual assault.
Date rape drugs:
- Cause the victim to lose muscle control/strength
- Can lead to loss of consciousness
- Can cause amnesia
While on campus, remember to always keep an eye on your drink. If you didn’t see your drink get poured, or lost track of it, get a new one.
Legal Options for Sexual Assault Survivors
The frequency of sexual assault on campus is a disheartening issue. What else is disheartening is the lack of reporting of such incidents. While we understand surivors’ hesistancy to file an official report against their attacker, we want them to know that we are here to support them at Mitchell & West, LLC. We have helped numerous survivors of sexual assault seek compensation for their trauma, and we want to help you too. Call us at (305) 783-3301, or click here to set up a confidential consultation with our Miami sexual assault injury lawyers.