NCJ Number
87871
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Either the victim or the offender or both were drinking alcohol prior to the rape in 72 percent of the 217 rapes reported in Winnipeg, Manitoba from 1966 to 1975.
Abstract
Study data came from the files of the Winnipeg City Police Department. Alcohol was present in both the offender and victim in 38.7 percent of the cases, in the offender only in 24.4 percent of the cases, and in the victim only in 9.2 percent of the cases. Force was more likely to be used when alcohol was present than when it was absent. Alcohol was also associated with injury to the victim in cases where both the offender and the victim or only the victim had been drinking. However, almost no relationship existed between the use of alcohol by the offender only and injury to the victim. Just over one-third of the cases involved victims who were particularly vulnerable due to a physical or mental handicap, old or young age, presence in a vulnerable situation, or intoxication. Offenders who had been drinking were more likely than nondrinking offenders to be involved in the rape of women who were handicapped or who were themselves intoxicated. The relationship was small, however, and largely resulted from the greater likelihood of alcohol being involved in the rape of mentally retarded victims. Alcohol is related to the incidence of forcible rape, although methodological problems prevent an estimation of the true magnitude of the correlation. However, certain social situations are likely to lead to the commission of rape and to be associated with force and injury being part of the rape. Future research should focus on situational factors which aid the commission of rape. Data tables and notes are included. A bibliography listing about 800 references for this paper and other papers is located at the end of the volume.