Lovett, J.; Horvath, M.

Alcohol and drugs in rape and sexual assault

Book chapter

Lovett, J. and Horvath, M. 2009. Alcohol and drugs in rape and sexual assault. in: Horvath, M. and Brown, J. (ed.) Rape: challenging contemporary thinking Cullompton Willan Publishing. pp. 125-160

ISBN
Chapter title	Alcohol and drugs in rape and sexual assault
Authors	Lovett, J. and Horvath, M.
Abstract	The links between alcohol and sexual assault are now well established and have bee documented in both United Kingdom (UK) and international research (Abbey et al, 2001; Horvath & Brown, 2006a, 2007; Kelly, Lovett & Regan, 2005; Ullman, Karabastsos & Koss, 1999; Walby & Allen, 2004). Although research has identified that administration of alcohol and drugs as means of obtaining illicit sex is not a new phenomenon, it has been argued that the techniques for using alcohol and drugs to facilitate rape have changed and this issue is therefore worthy of renewed interest (Foote, Wangmann & Braff, 2004). This chapter brings together and compares findings from two large independent studies which collected data on the involvement of alcohol and drugs in cases of rape and sexual assault reported to the police and/or sexual assault referral centres. We seek to explore the complexities of alcohol-related sexual assault by outlining a common methodological approach which generates findings that take greater account of the role of the perpetrator, the broader assault context (e.g. the location and relationship between the parties) and other situational characteristics, (e.g. the type of intoxicants consumed and the nature of consumption). The aims of our chapter are to: • promote a broader and more nuanced understanding of the realities of alcohol-related rape, which, we argue, are commonly over-simplified in both academic and popular representations of this crime; • advance the view, based on research evidence, that alcohol is the drug most commonly associated with rape; • and to move beyond the tendency to focus solely on the role and characteristics of victims of alcohol-related sexual assault and incorporate perpetrator characteristics. Our purpose is to dispel some persistent myths about alcohol and drugs in rape in relation to types of substances consumed and the nature of consumption, context, victims and perpetrators. We will present findings from two datasets side by side which is not commonly done and will allow for direct comparison and the generation of new hypotheses.
Research Group	Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research group
	Forensic Psychology Research group
Page range	125-160
Book title	Rape: challenging contemporary thinking
Editors	Horvath, M. and Brown, J.
Publisher	Willan Publishing
Place of publication	Cullompton
Hardcover	9781843925200
Publication dates
Print	2009
Publication process dates
Deposited	14 Feb 2011
Output status	Published
Language	English
File	alcohol_and_drugs_-_Lovett_&_Horvath__2009_.pdf

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Alcohol and drugs in rape and sexual assault

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