Intoxication During Physical Sexual Victimization of Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Adolescent substance use significantly increases the risk of sexual victimization, as intoxication often renders young people, particularly girls, more vulnerable to sexual assault. However, the relationship between substance use and sexual victimization may also stem from broader lifestyle patterns and behaviors. For instance, adolescents who consume alcohol may be more inclined to seek excitement and engage in activities that increase their susceptibility to victimization, even when not intoxicated. METHODS: A nationally representative survey sample of Finnish ninth graders was used to investigate to what extent the association between adolescent substance use and sexual victimization is likely to stem from intoxication or if it is more spurious and due to common causes. The study considers the differences between peer- and adult-perpetrated physical sexual victimization and its associations with both alcohol and drug use. A combination of binary and multinomial logistic regressions is utilized. RESULTS: Alcohol use and experimenting with drugs were associated with a higher risk of both adult- and peer-perpetrated sexual victimization. However, the association seemed more relevant for sexual violence between peers. In addition, the results implied that the association between substance use and sexual victimization might be less spurious for victimization by peers. Thus, it is more likely to be due to intoxication when compared to adult-perpetrated child sexual abuse, especially considering those who drink more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: This research contributes to the knowledge of the mechanisms of the association between substance use and sexual victimization among adolescents.