The proposed research aims to further our understanding of how heterosexual men use intoxication tactics to perpetrate incapacitated rape (IR) against women. Intoxication tactics include: 1) giving a woman drinks in order to increase her intoxication, and 2) engaging in sexual activities with a woman who is too intoxicated to consent or passed out. Despite being a likely opportunity for perpetrators to facilitate women?s intoxication, drinking games (DG) have rarely been examined in relation to IR. DGs are incredibly common (70% of college students play). Game rules often dictate players assign drinks for others to consume, with the goal of increasing the target?s intoxication. Based on limited survey research, we know men end DG play (for the night) once they have gotten someone intoxicated or found someone to have sex with, and 23% of women experience unwanted sexual contact after playing. The cross-sectional nature of this data, however, makes it difficult to draw any directional or causal conclusions. This study will use an experimental simulated drinking game paradigm (SDGP) to unobtrusively observe DG behavior in the lab. When paired with an experimental SA proxy measure we can investigate how beverage allocation early on in the night contributes to later IR intentions. Existing SA proxies do not assess intoxication tactics; therefore, we will also modify an existing written 2nd person erotic SA scenario to assess the two intoxication tactics listed above. This is the first experimental study to systematically examine the use of intoxication tactics across the night. Heterosexual men, ages 21 to 28, with a history of playing DGs and who meet NIAAA criteria for alcohol administration will complete a background survey. Eligible participants (N = 304; 152 peer dyads) will complete the in-lab experiment with a self-identified and study-eligible peer. Once in the lab, groups (2 participants and 2 female confederates) will be randomly assigned to beverage conditions (alcohol vs. sober) and each player will be poured a tray full of 1oz cups of their assigned beverage, based on their gender and weight, to reach a maximum BrAC of .08%. Through the SDGP, participants will assign drinks to co-players. Each will consume from their personal tray of drinks, 1oz at a time. Video recordings of the SDGP will be coded for beverage allocation behaviors. After 20 minutes of play, male participants will complete the IR scenario in a separate room. This innovative research design will allow us to identify predatory patterns of beverage allocation used by past IR perpetrators and examine how men?s acute intoxication (alcohol vs. sober, and BrAC level), beverage allocation, perceptions of their own and the woman?s intoxication, and sexual manipulation motives for playing DGs each contribute to intentions to perpetrate an IR. Such research can further delineate IR from intoxicated consensual sex, thereby providing valuable information for academic and criminal proceedings, and the development of targeted prevention programming for men and risk reduction training for women.
Incapacitated rape is an epidemic on our college campuses. This study will identify predatory beverage allocation behaviors used by men to facilitate women?s intoxication and elucidate the decision-making process across a night of drinking that culminates in a man having sex with a woman who is too intoxicated to consent or passed out (i.e., incapacitated rape). By further delineating incapacitated rape behavior from intoxicated consensual sex, this research can inform the advancement of nuanced and targeted prevention, intervention and risk reduction programming to reduce incapacitated rape on our college campuses.
