Alcohol Abuse

Nothing effects rape statistics more than alcohol consumption. Let's take a look at the facts, shall we?

*Alcohol consumption is most common among:
1. women between 26 and 34
2. women who are divorced or separated

*Binge drinking (consumption of 4 or more drinks at one sitting) is most common among women between 18 and 25

*In 2001 2 in 5 college students reported binge drinking

*Women develop alcohol-induced liver damage in a shorter period than men

*Recent research has shown that women may be more vulnerable to brain damage due to alcohol than men

*Women who drink are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse

*Women are more likely than men to use a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs

Why are women more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol?

1. Alcohol is absorbed faster in women's bodies because of stomach enzyme differences. Alcohol is delivered into the bloodstream more rapidly because a stomach enzyme that works to break down alcohol before it enters the bloodstream is less active in women. Women also have a smaller ratio of water to fat than men, causing them to get drunk faster than a man of the same size/weight.

2. Hormonal fluctuations in women may affect how alcohol is metabolized, resulting in women feeling the effects of alcohol more quickly/strongly when they drink at certain times during their cycle.

So... the moral of the story is...
drink smart ladies!

**Sources: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Journal of American College Health**