Protective behavioural strategies while drinking: do they protect against sexual victimisation and is this protection gendered?

Abstract

Introduction and aims: Although alcohol use has been linked to sexual victimisation among college students , the specific ways in which college students may be able to avoid the negative consequences of excessive drinking as they relate to sexual victimisation have not been fully explored. This study examines whether using protective behavioural strategies attenuates the risk of sexual victimisation for both male and female college students and whether this relationship is moderated by alcohol use.

Design and method: Data were obtained from the Fall 2012 National College Health Assessment Survey. This survey is conducted on college campuses across the USA and institutions that self-selected to participate in the survey. The sample used in the study includes 19 881 students (male and female) across 51 schools.

Results: Findings indicate that although women are more likely to use protective behavioural strategies, these strategies work to reduce the likelihood of experiencing sexual victimisation for both sexes among those who are high-frequency drinkers.

Discussion and conclusions: This study suggests that the frequency of alcohol use is important when considering the risk of sexual victimisation among college students, and protective behavioural strategies can help reduce this risk among frequent drinkers. [Daigle LE, Johnson LM, Napper SL, Azimi AM. Protective behavioural strategies while drinking: do they protect against sexual victimisation and is this protection gendered?. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:573-579].

Keywords: alcohol; gender; protective behaviour strategies; sexual victimisation.