More than one in three young women say that they have been sexually assaulted after getting drunk - REALLY???

[CountessDracula]

OK I may be an old bag but in my yoof my friends and I used to get completely trollied and NONE of us were EVER sexually assaulted!!

Is this just another bullshit statistic?

Sorry, bit of a touchy subject for me.

my mum would say, well what do you expect you were pissed and went to his house, why are you surprised.
GRRRR

My mum wouldnt believe me (thats happened) or based on how she is nowadays would tell everyone "in secret" because she cannot keep anything, no matter how personal, to herself.

But don't you think that we do have to take some responsibility for our own safety? Of course we should all be able to go out wherever we like wearing whatever we like, but that's not real life is it? There are predators out there and we owe it to ourselves to remember that. If you choose to drink so much that you are incapacitated and cannot make a decision about whether or not you have sex with someone, you are putting yourself at greater risk of assault and some men rely on this.

I think the reason this issue is getting more attention is that there is evidence that alcohol consumption amongst young women in particular is increasing considerably and that for many, this means that they are becoming very vulnerable. We really need to look at better education regarding the safe use of alcohol. Right, will climb down off the soapbox now!

I agree Yeahbut. A belief that we should have a degree of responsiblity doesn't mean we should demonise those that don't - as that would probably mean most of us under a certain age at one time or another. Why is it so problematic advocating both positions? Women can get themselves into certain situations that make them vulnerable and young women especially should be aware of how things can quickly get out of hand. But a moment of stupidity shouldn't brand you an idiot.

But it doesnt even have to be that much drink though does it. I was using an extreme example of being paralytic but to be a bit tipsy and simply misjudge a situation (how many drinks put you over the drink drive limit?) can lead you to as much trouble as being blind drunk but for slightly different reasons. How much caution should one need to exercise? What is the Drink-sex limit?

Having been tipsy (which makes you giggly and a bit wobbly and more relaxed), and sat chatting to a man for a while, to later find that he feels "owed" for spending time chatting to you and buying you drinks is not an indication of a lack of my own regard for safety IMO.

Im afraid i will argue this till the cows come home too....

Hi MT You were all very lucky!

Didn't this used to be called slipping someone 'the mickey'? And whilst being tut tutted at it was also an established strategy for a generation of men.

Just as aside, has anyone read any Zola? Germinal or Earth? It has some of the most brilliant and disturbing depictions of 19th century 'courtship'. You can see where these things emerge.

Zola, yes - it's pretty unrelenting stuff, but gripping too - the 1st French novel I ever read all the way through was Thérèse Raquin!