Due to the widespread availability of alcohol in the modern world, it is no surprise that many individuals do not consider it a dangerous substance.
In fact, quite the opposite is true; alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances available on the market, with many countries having low ages for legally consuming alcohol.
In the countries where alcohol is banned i.e., a dry country, there is a still a risk of individuals experiencing the negative effects of alcohol – both when consumed in high quantities and also when struggling with an addiction.
In 2022, the UK reported over 10,000 alcohol-specific deaths, with alcoholic liver disease accounting for 77% of these cases (1).
This shows the dangers of alcohol as a drug, and this blog aims to explore this, as well as specific risks and dangers in instances of sexual assault.
Alcohol affects every individual differently; there are common ideas of ‘happy drunks’, ‘sad drunks’, or ‘angry drunks’, but the true effects of alcohol are much more complex than this.
Alcohol is a physically addictive substance, meaning that individuals who consume high quantities for long periods of time are more likely to develop a dependence on it.
This means that their body becomes familiar with having alcohol in the system and it begins to be incorporated into their everyday functioning and processing.
As well as this, there are also many different physical and mental health issues that an individual may experience.
The following subheadings outline these separately and draw attention to common effects that individuals may experience while consuming alcohol.
Many individuals often discount the severity of the ways in which alcohol can affect the body, but too much alcohol in a single session can cause life-threatening and long-term health problems.
When an individual is ‘drunk’, they may experience physical effects such as slurring of speech, loss of coordination (i.e., stumbling, tripping, not walking straight), and difficulties in seeing.
Alcohol consumption has also been linked to an increase in testosterone within both men and women, which can affect an individual’s sex drive, as well as their levels of aggression.
As mentioned earlier, alcohol also has a strong link to severe health problems such as liver disease. Alcohol is processed in the liver, meaning that a high rate of consumption could lead to a severe buildup of toxins and chemicals that are released as alcohol is broken down in the system.
In severe cases, research has shown that alcohol liver disease (ALD) can progress through several stages if left untreated, starting with alcoholic fatty liver and progressing to alcoholic steatohepatitis (inflammation of the liver), before potentially developing into hepatocellular cancer – cancer within the liver cells (2).
This shows the dangers of high alcohol consumption, as well as the risks that an individual is exposed to should they continue this level of consumption over long periods of time and without proper rehabilitative support.
In addition to the physical effects that an individual may experience or be subjected to, there are many additional mental health issues that an individual may struggle with when consuming large quantities of alcohol.
For example, alcohol in small quantities can reduce individuals’ feelings of anxiety, perhaps leading them to feel more social, but it can also greatly reduce an individual’s inhibitions.
Inhibitions are a part of the body’s system that stops us from doing or saying things that we know are wrong, unsuitable, or offensive. When individuals drink alcohol, these inhibitions are reduced, and an individual’s behaviour can change as a result of this.
In addition, alcohol is known to be a depressant which means that it affects many different parts of the body, but most notably an individual’s mood – something which can continue even after the individual has stopped consuming alcohol (3).
Sexual assault refers to any unwanted or forcibly caused sex acts which includes many different sex crimes.
Indecent assault, for example, is when an individual is touched in a sexual manner without their consent, and rape is where an individual is forced into sexual intercourse without their consent.
All cases of sexual assault are a serious crime, though the risks that are associated after the sexual assault has occurred can also cause lifelong harm.
In the year ending March 2022 in the UK, it was reported that 2.3% of individuals aged over 16 years had been victims of sexual assault (including attempts) – broken down into 3.3% of women and 1.2% of men (4).
Though these statistics do not indicate the cases in which alcohol was involved, there are many reasons why alcohol could have increased the likelihood of these events.
From what has been mentioned across this article so far, the combination of increased testosterone and reduced inhibitions when consuming alcohol both have the potential to lead to sexual assault.
This is the case when either the victim or the perpetrator has consumed alcohol; the effects can cause risks for both parties.
For example, as a perpetrator, the individual may have an increased sex drive and reduced inhibitions to act on this, leading them to behave in ways which they may not normally, or in ways that they do not normally express externally.
As a victim, individuals who consume large quantities of alcohol have less spatial awareness, less control over their bodies, and (also) reduced inhibitions.
This may lead them to go to places that they do not normally, without other people around them, or be in a state of drunkenness that they may not be able to defend themselves.
Sexual assault always occurs as a result of the perpetrator’s actions, but in the modern world it is also suggested that individuals do not let themselves become this vulnerable through alcohol consumption, or if they do then they should ensure that they are in safe company and can be taken to a safe location by those that they trust.
As well as the actual assault itself, the consequences after this should also be highly considered – attempted or not.
Sexual assault is not something to be taken lightly, and all individuals should feel safe and secure enough to come forward with the fallout from a situation such as this, but this is not always the case.
The following three subheadings outline the key effects that can happen as a result of sexual assault involving alcohol, though these do not encapsulate every individuals’ experience.
When an individual is a victim of sexual assault involving alcohol, there may be many reasons why an individual does not come forward to the justice system in order to report the crime.
In many cases, individuals are often embarrassed or ashamed of what has happened, despite the fact that it is never their fault. This can mean that individuals are apprehensive about reporting the crime, as they may be fearful of what others may think of them if they find out.
In addition, and especially relating to crimes involving alcohol, the details can be hard to remember and individuals may not feel as though they have enough evidence to report the crime, or that they will be judged again for getting themselves into that situation (even though it is not their fault).
As a result of sexual assault, individuals with a womb may become pregnant – something which can cause lifelong health problems and financial strain should the individual choose to go through with the pregnancy.
Depending on an individual’s belief, these pregnancies are unwanted, but many individuals are still forced to proceed with the pregnancy, with many legal systems not recognising rape as a reasonable reason for individuals to terminate a pregnancy.
An unwanted child of sexual assault can cause issues for the individual for years into the future, and the responsibilities of this can often overwhelm those who are struggling with the sexual assault in general, let alone the results of this.
Being a victim of sexual assault and being the perpetrator involving alcohol can cause serious and lifelong mental health issues.
As a victim, individuals are subject to the mental struggles that come with the issues above i.e., conflicting feelings of reporting the incident, embarrassment, long-term consequences etc.
As a perpetrator, an individual may begin to regret their actions or understand the gravitas of what they have done, also leading to mental health struggles.
In extreme cases, cases of sexual assault can worsen addictions; an individual may turn to alcohol or other substances as an attempt to cope with the effects of this, becoming a vicious cycle if left unacknowledged or untreated.
To speak to a friendly and professional member of Rehab 4 Addiction’s team today about anything you have read in this blog, or any other query relating to addiction, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us today.
We have a range of different webpages focussing on different elements of addiction, but we also offer an addiction support hotline at 0800 140 4690 for individuals to call 24/7.
[1] UK Parliament, House of Commons Library; Statistics on Alcohol: England; 17 July 2024; https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7626/
[2] Seitz, H.K., Bataller, R., Cortez-Pinto, H., Gao, B., Gual, A., Lackner, C., Mathurin, P., Mueller, S., Szabo, G. and Tsukamoto, H., 2018. Alcoholic liver disease. Nature reviews Disease primers, 4(1), p.16.
[3] Schuckit, M.A., 1994. Alcohol and depression: a clinical perspective. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 89, pp.28-32.
[4] Office for National Statistics; Sexual offences in England and Wales overview: year ending March 2022; 23 March 2023; https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/sexualoffencesinenglandandwalesoverview/march2022
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
