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Sexual Assault and Alcohol Misuse Are Ongoing Problems in the U.S. Military

• Sexual assaults among U.S. service members have not declined despite the implementation of prevention programs across the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
• Alcohol misuse is common in the military: One-third of active-duty service members report binge drinking, a rate that compares unfavorably with that of their civilian counterparts.

Alcohol Abuse Has Been Linked to Sexual Aggression and Heightened Vulnerability to Sexual Assault

• Studies show that alcohol use is causally linked to increased aggression in young men — particularly among men who are predisposed to behaving aggressively — and that may include an increased risk of sexual aggression.
• Alcohol intoxication increases the risk that men will misperceive women's sexual intent, which, in turn, is linked with an increased likelihood of sexual assault perpetration.
• Sexual assault victimization occurs as a result of someone else's actions rather than something the victim does. Thus, alcohol increases vulnerability only in a setting with a nearby potential perpetrator.
• When this condition is met, alcohol can have a range of effects on the risk of victimization — from a reduced awareness of risk indicators to incapacitation or unconsciousness.

Efforts That Target Alcohol Misuse May Contribute to a Military Sexual Assault Prevention Strategy

• The most extensive body of research on the connection between alcohol misuse and sexual assault comes from studies of college students, a group that shares some similarities with junior enlisted military personnel.
• DoD efforts to reduce sexual assault in the military could benefit from findings from these studies, including evidence of what is effective and what is not.