Reflecting the Times? Reexamining the Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on Perceptions of Campus Sexual Assault

We examined the effects of victim and perpetrator alcohol intoxication on perceptions of campus sexual assault. Participants ( N = 276) read a campus assault vignette; both perpetrator and victim intoxication levels were manipulated. Participants reported attitudes toward both parties and perceptions of responsibility, blame, and criminal and civil liability. Contrary to some past research, participants blamed victims less—and more strongly considered the incident rape or sexual assault—when victims were highly intoxicated. Perceptions were most punitive toward sober perpetrators with highly intoxicated victims. Results suggest possible shifts in perceptions of consent, further discussed in the context of historical and population factors.

Memory and Credibility Perceptions of Alcohol and Other Drug Intoxicated Witnesses and Victims of Crime

Research into juror perceptions regarding the impact of intoxication on eyewitness memory and credibility is scarce for substances other than alcohol. However, jurors are frequently told to draw on their personal beliefs and experience with intoxicating substances to infer their impact on the case. It is therefore important to investigate laypeople’s perceptions regarding witness and victim intoxication across a range of substances, and whether these perceptions are associated with substance familiarity. Participants (n = 470) completed a survey assessing familiarity and use of different substances, as well as perceptions regarding effects on the memory and credibility of intoxicated victims and witnesses. While participants most frequently reported believing that alcohol, hallucinogens, and polysubstance use of alcohol and cannabis have large negative effects on memory, they more frequently reported that they do not know the extent to which cannabis and cocaine affect memory. In addition, attitudes were found to vary based on substance familiarity. Differences with respect to the perceived impact on memory and credibility of various substances have relevance to court proceedings, particularly in terms of voir dire procedures and whether an expert witness may be required to educate the court on the impacts of different forms of intoxication.

Reflecting the Times? Reexamining the Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on Perceptions of Campus Sexual Assault

We examined effects of victim and perpetrator alcohol intoxication on perceptions of campus sexual assault. Participants (N = 276) read a campus assault vignette; both perpetrator and victim intoxication levels were manipulated. Participants reported attitudes toward both parties and perceptions of responsibility, blame, and criminal and civil liability. Contrary to some past research, participants blamed victims less-- and more strongly considered the incident rape or sexual assault-- when victims were highly intoxicated. Perceptions were most punitive toward sober perpetrators with highly intoxicated victims. Results suggest possible shifts in perceptions of consent, further discussed in context of historical and population factors.

Victim Alcohol Intoxication During a Sexual Assault: Relations With Subsequent PTSD Symptoms

This study examines associations between women’s alcohol intoxication at the time of sexual assault and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Drawing on the dual representation theory (Brewin, Gregory, Lipton, & Burgess, 2010), we hypothesized that intoxication at the time of assault would be positively associated with both overall symptoms of PTSD and PTSD reexperiencing symptoms in particular. A total of 143 community women (ages 18–26 years; 71.3% European American) reporting sexual victimization completed questionnaires assessing severity of coercion involved in the assault, perceived level of intoxication at the time of assault, and current PTSD symptoms. Overall, results suggested that greater alcohol intoxication (but not alcohol use alone) was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms when controlling for severity of coercion. Furthermore, higher levels of victim intoxication at the time of the assault were most predictive of reexperiencing symptoms relative to the other symptom clusters.

Perceptions of Rape: The Influence of Closeness of Relationship, Intoxication and Sex of Participant

Intoxication of the assailant and/or victim is often mentioned in relation to acquaintance rape. The present study tests how independent observers use this information in their perceptions of acquaintance and stranger rape. One hundred and forty-nine females and 104 males read scenarios depicting a sexual assault and made attributions of responsibility for the rape and evaluated the actors. Victims’ intoxication consistently influenced perceptions of victim culpability as well as respondent evaluation of her. The impact of closeness of relationship was much more complex and less consistent than the effects of victim intoxication.