Alcohol use may co-occur with victimization in young adult relationships

Drinking alcohol may predict experiencing physical, psychological, or sexual victimization during or shortly after alcohol use, according to a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.

The study, which collected real-time data from 18- to 25-year-olds in relationships, found that, often, physical and psychological victimization co-occur with alcohol use, and physical and sexual victimization occur within hours after alcohol use.

For the study, 170 participants were prompted at four random times daily to answer questions online about their alcohol use and any psychological, physical, or sexual violence they experienced since the prior survey.

At times when individuals reported alcohol use, they also were more likely to report psychological and physical, but not sexual, victimization at the same time. Physical and sexual, but not psychological, victimization were more likely to be preceded by alcohol use. Alcohol use was not more likely to be reported in the hours immediately after psychological, physical, and sexual victimization.

The authors note that alcohol use following victimization may be delayed due to the need to tend to injuries immediately after experiencing violence. Individuals in the study who experienced more instances of victimization than others in the study were not more likely to drink more. Similarly, people who drank more than others in the study were not more likely to report experiencing any form of partner violence.

In general, participants completed three of the random surveys per day, four hours apart. On average, participants reported six instances of alcohol use, three instances of psychological victimization, one instance of physical violence, and less than one instance of sexual victimization over the 28-day study.

Being pushed, shoved, shaken, slapped or hit, having their hair pulled, or having something thrown at them by their partner were categorized as physical violence. Psychological victimization included, for example, their partner calling them names, insulting them, or swearing, yelling, or screaming at them. Unwanted sexual contact or insisting or threatening by their partner to get them to do something sexual when they didn’t want to were considered sexual victimization.

Previous studies have found that 40% of young adults have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. This study highlights a potential opportunity to use technology to provide real-time interventions for people at risk for intimate partner violence.

The authors of the study emphasize that perpetrators, not victims, are responsible for the victimization, and the perpetrator’s drinking, which has previously been linked to an increased risk of partner violence, was not assessed. The results of the study may not be generalizable to a broader audience as the participant pool was predominantly White, heterosexual, and college students in relationships where they saw their partners at least twice a week.

The study participants included only people who were not fearful of their partner and had a history of perpetrating intimate partner violence. Authors note that it is not uncommon for those who perpetrate intimate partner violence to also experience victimization.