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, par.