This is not to say that drinking is always the direct cause of sexual assault. Many other factors are involved. In some cases, a man who forces sex on a woman tries to get her drunk first--suggesting that the intention to commit sexual assault comes before alcohol.

Even so, research reveals that drinking and sexual assault are linked in several ways. For example, someone who's had too much to drink may simply not have enough mental clarity or physical coordination to resist an assault.

In addition, heavy drinking can lead to "cognitive deficits," referring to impaired judgment that promotes sexual assault. One theory is that intoxication creates a kind of myopia where men tune in to cues of their sexual arousal, while screening out a woman's signs of refusal or the thought of being punished for sexual assault.

Drinking can also occur along with erroneous beliefs such as:

• Alcohol is an aphrodisiac that makes men more potent and women more open to sex.
• Women who sit alone in bars or drink heavily are sexually available.
• A sexually aroused man cannot control himself.
• When people drink heavily, they are no longer responsible for their behaviors--including sexual assault.

Antonia Abbey, professor of community medicine and psychology at Wayne State University, has led a series of studies exploring such attitudes. "When a drinking man thinks a woman is sexually attracted to him and he feels sexually aroused, he is more likely to later feel justified forcing sex because he feels that she ‘led him on' and ‘owes it to him,'" says Abbey, "particularly if he has negative attitudes about women and low empathy."

Such attitudes have been documented in male college students who commit sexual assault. But Abbey's research suggests that similar beliefs are involved whenever sexual assault occurs. Referring to a recent community-wide study conducted in Detroit, Abbey notes that "lifetime alcohol problems, positive attitudes about casual sexual relationships, and peer pressure to have sexual experiences were all direct predictors of frequency of sexual assault perpetration."

Stopping sexual assault calls for education and prevention programs. These can start in middle school and continue through higher education, right along with efforts to prevent underage drinking. Abbey recommends that such programs go beyond one-time lectures to include repeated messages delivered in multiple formats--videos, live theater, role plays, coed discussion groups, and peer coaching.

Such efforts are more likely to succeed when they include the following messages:

• In response to an invitation to have sex, "no means no," starting with the first refusal.
• You have the right to refuse sex at any time, even with current or past sexual partners.
• Any time that you engage in risky behavior--such as drinking heavily in a bar or at a fraternity party--you are vulnerable to harm.
• Forced sex is a crime that can and should be reported and prosecuted.

In addition, take immediate steps to prevent sexual assault. Avoid events that center on heavy alcohol consumption. If you choose to attend such an event, do so with a group that includes non-drinking friends.

Also remember that responsible relationships involve the ability to talk about sexual desires in an open, honest way--something that can only take place when you and your partner are both sober.

--Published September 19, 2005