I got you in trouble in high school; but college, now that was a ball. You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me – Alcohol.” (Brad Paisley)
The song masks pain and humiliation behind humor. Many college students arrive with established alcohol habits and binge drinking is popular recreation. Some parents allow pre-college teenagers to have alcohol at parties. Are they protecting their children by letting them learn to drink responsibly under supervision or are they increasing the chances that the children will become alcoholics? In some states that is legal and in others parents could face both criminal and civil penalties. Excessive drinking among teens is associated with academic failure, violence, and financial problems.
The American Association of University Women says the probability of a woman being sexually assaulted on campus in any given year is roughly equal to the probability of catching the flu. They defined sexual assault very broadly, but the problem is real and the association with excessive drinking is undeniable.
“No means no.” We hear it from women’s advocacy groups, legislators and pundits who are demanding new laws to define “sexual consent” and to teach students what consent means. My guess is that they already know the meaning of consent. For knowledge to govern behavior, the students must be sufficiently sober for normal inhibitions and good judgment to rule. A lot of people have done a lot of foolish things after drinking too much. “I got blamed at your wedding reception for your best man’s embarrassing speech; and also for those naked pictures of you at the beach.” – Alcohol
Anyone, male or female, who drinks enough to be incapacitated is at increased risk for violent crime. A young man who loses his good judgment after drinking too much and commits a sexual assault is responsible; just as he would be if he drove a car and hurt someone. Excessive drinking is one of the ingredients in more than half of rapes occurring on college campuses.
Jim Gardner, the chairman of North Carolina’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has called for efforts to reduce underage drinking. A vital test of that commitment will come on college and university campuses and in the neighborhoods that surround them. Some are infamous for non-enforcement, including the aptly named “High Street” adjacent to The Ohio State University. That university’s highly regarded President, Dr. Gordon Gee, has called for reducing the legal drinking age to 18. More than a few educators and student groups agree with him. Is their thinking sound or is it like lowering test standards to improve scores? On the other hand, why have laws that will not be enforced?
A survey of the chief security or law enforcement officers at 343 colleges reveals that alcohol enforcement generally consists of reporting violations to college administrative officials who then counsel with students. Fraternities and sororities often have some form of self policing and the university gets involved only if there are complaints. Bars near colleges cater to students, often including minors. The alcohol policy at The University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill campus is 3775 words long without making it clear whether the University will actively enforce underage drinking laws. The separate “Fraternity and Sorority Life Alcohol Policy” is all Greek to me – double entendre intended… After reading it all, my unprofessional interpretation was akin to “Don’t ask. Don’t tell.”
The intertwined problems of excessive drinking and sexual assault on college campuses demand attention and decisive action. Instead it seems as if both are being covered up until tragedies occur. Law enforcement agencies seem to defer to campus authorities who rarely prosecute offenders. I don’t know the right answers but I hope that North Carolina will begin by actively enforcing existing laws on and around college campuses and then study alcohol laws to see if changes are advisable. Our current approach – leaving laws on the books and then turning a blind eye to violations – has failed.
I’m medicine and I am poison. I can help you up or make you fall.
Since the day I left Milwaukee, Lynchburg and Bordeaux France
I’ve been making a fool out of folks just like you and helping white people dance. – Alcohol
A complicated problem with no easy solution.
When I was at Uni the students had a volunteer group, for whom the uni provided a “office” and phone number; one could call them and get someone to walk you home at night. It was volunteer run and organized.
While alcohol contributes, it is not the only cause of assault. Perhaps taking a real look at various drugs (including alcohol) and which ones are legal (and at what age) is due, people have for centuries used alcohol and other substances to “let their hair down”, drown emotions, etc. Making it illegal has not ever worked to my knowledge.
I also think society perception and language needs to change around assault; especially the tendency to victim blame combined with talking about it as if it’s a “womens issue”. http://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue?language=en
Thank you. The TED talk is excellent and should be shared widely. I think enforcement on campus at greek organizations and similar places + at bars and stores near campus could reduce binge drinking and big binge parties – not eliminate them – but reduce them enough to have fewer academic failures, financial failures and assaults. If after serious effort it does not work then maybe lowering the legal age to 18 would be a good idea. The old idea of 3.2 beer only at age 18 might also have merit. The only think I feel sure of is that ignoring the problems has not helped…