According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, (NCADD), the link between alcohol and violence is clearly documented. Sexual assault, domestic violence and abuse, aggravated assault, and assault are all crimes of violence which are alcohol-linked violent crimes.
Raising Awareness
A Presidential Proclamation declared April, 2015 as National Sexual Assault and Awareness Month, focused on raising awareness of alcohol-related crimes of violence and their prevention.
According to the NCADD, the alcohol-related consequences of drinking and driving have garnered the major share of attention compared to alcohol-related crimes of violence.
But the relationship of alcohol to crimes of sexual assault and domestic violence and abuse has been clearly documented. National Sexual Assault and Awareness Month 2015 can help focus public and media attention on alcohol-related crimes of violence, and raise public awareness regarding prevention and treatment measures.
The NCADD reports that 5.3 million adults in the United States convicted of a criminal offense were drinking alcohol at the time the offense was committed.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reports the majority of criminal offenders were under the influence of alcohol at the time they committed their crime. This highlights the facts of excessive drinking leading to criminal behavior.
Federal research identifies alcohol-use as a factor in homicides. Alcohol was an influencing factor in 40% of homicides committed by currently incarcerated murderers (jail or State prison).
According to NCADD, alcohol was a factor in 40% of all U.S. violent crimes. Victims of sexual assault and rape perceive the crime perpetrator to have been drinking.
NCADD cites offender alcohol-use as a factor in 37 percent of sexual assaults and rapes, based on reports of victims. Twenty-seven percent of aggravated assault, 25 percent of simple assaults, and 15 percent of robberies involved alcohol use, as well.
Tips on Preventing Violence
The direct link to alcohol use and crimes of violence facilitates prevention, and taking pro-active measures to minimize risks and consequences. The following are violence prevention tips which may save a life:
Alcohol is Not a Solution
Alcohol is not a solution to the challenges and problems of life. Factually, it is a source of problems.
Do Not Drink to Excess
Alcohol lowers awareness and impairs judgment, increasing vulnerability to sexual assault or rape.
Do Not Drink when Angry
Drinking when you are angry can lead to violence. Alcohol is not a solution to anger.
Do Not Drink when Upset
Drinking when you are upset can worsen the situation. Alcohol is not a solution to unpleasant emotion.
Avoid Domestic Disputes
If you have been drinking, do not engage your intimate in a dispute. Learn to walk away, and deal with disagreements when you are both sober.
Avoid Late Night Drinking
Statistics reveal that 70 percent of alcohol-related incidents of violence happen in the home most often at 11: p.m.
Avoid Alcohol-related Danger
If you go to a party, a social gathering, a bar or a concert, go with trusted friends—and leave with those same trusted friends. Do not leave a social situation by yourself if you have been drinking, particularly with a stranger.
Improve your Life Skills
Resorting to alcohol as a “social lubricant” or a “stress reliever” or “a way to have fun” invites serious consequences. Improve your life skills to the point you are comfortable dealing with others and life without depending on alohol.
Increase your Relationship Skills
Increase your skills in dealing with an intimate or close family member, and work towards an alcohol-free relationship.
Seek Alcohol-Abuse Treatment
If you are alcohol dependant, or prone to acts of aggression or violence when you are drinking, take effective measures to get sober before you hurt yourself or someone you love. Do not end-up an alcohol-related crime statistic, either victim or offender.
