Beliefs about the effects of alcohol on involvement in coercive and consenting sexual activities

This study examined how an alcohol instructional set (intoxicated or sober) and gender affected subjects' beliefs about the negative and positive consequences of engaging in coercive and consenting sexual behaviors, as well as subjects' expressed likelihood of involvement in these activities. Participants who responded to an intoxicated set believed they were more likely to be involved in coercive sexual behaviors than those who responded to sober instructions. Males with an intoxicated set also expected fewer negative and more positive consequences from coercive sex than did other participants. For consenting sexual activities, males (regardless of set) rated negative consequences lower, positive consequences higher, and expressed a stronger likelihood of involvement than did females. Efforts to prevent sexual coercion might be enhanced by including a focus on how beliefs about alcohol may affect the expected consequences and occurrence of these acts.