Alcohol-involved sexual assault in the US military: a scoping review
Creators: name: Miggantz, Erin L.
name: Orchowski, Lindsay M.
name: Beltran, Jessica L.
name: Walter, Kristen H.
name: Hollingsworth, Julia C.
name: Davis, Kelly Cue
name: Zong, Zoe Y.
name: Meza-Lopez, Richard
name: Hutchins, Anna
name: Gilmore, Amanda K.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Science Policy
subject: Cancer
subject: Mental Health

description: <b>Background:</b> Sexual assault and alcohol use are significant public health concerns, including for the United States (US) military. Although alcohol is a risk factor for military sexual assault (MSA), research on the extent of alcohol-involvement in MSAs has not been synthesised. <b>Objective:</b> Accordingly, this scoping review is a preliminary step in evaluating the existing literature on alcohol-involved MSAs among US service members and veterans, with the goals of quantifying the prevalence of alcohol-involved MSA, examining differences in victim versus perpetrator alcohol consumption, and identifying additional knowledge gaps. <b>Method:</b> In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for Scoping Reviews, articles in this review were written in English, published in 1996 or later, reported statistics regarding alcohol-involved MSA, and included samples of US service members or veterans who experienced MSA during military service. <b>Results:</b> A total of 34 of 2436 articles identified met inclusion criteria. Studies often measured alcohol and drug use together. Rates of reported MSAs that involved the use of alcohol or alcohol/drugs ranged from 14% to 66.1% (<i>M </i>= 36.94%; <i>Mdn </i>= 37%) among servicemen and from 0% to 83% (<i>M </i>= 40.27%; <i>Mdn </i>= 41%) among servicewomen. Alcohol use was frequently reported in MSAs, and there is a dearth of information on critical event-level characteristics of alcohol-involved MSA. Additionally, studies used different definitions and measures of MSA and alcohol use, complicating comparisons across studies. <b>Conclusion:</b> The lack of event-level data, and inconsistencies in definitions, measures, and sexual assault timeframes across articles demonstrates that future research and data collection efforts require more event-level detail and consistent methodology to better understand the intersection of alcohol and MSA, which will ultimately inform MSA prevention and intervention efforts. A total of 34 of 2436 articles identified met inclusion criteria. Studies often measured alcohol and drug use together. Rates of reported military sexual assaults that involved the use of alcohol or alcohol/drugs ranged from 14% to 66.1% (<i>M </i>= 36.94%; <i>Mdn </i>= 37%) among servicemen and from 0% to 83% (<i>M </i>= 40.27%; <i>Mdn </i>= 41%) among servicewomen.More precise prevalence estimates of the intersection between alcohol and military sexual assault were limited due to inconsistencies in the definitions of sexual assault and alcohol use, measures of sexual assault and alcohol use, and timeframe for reporting across studies.Future research should standardise the measures, definitions, and timeframes of sexual assault and alcohol-involvement to allow for a more precise estimation of alcohol-involved military sexual assault. Furthermore, event-level data is needed including amount and timeframe of alcohol consumption, relationship between victim and perpetrator, location of alcohol consumption and military sexual assault, and whether the assault was opportunistic or facilitated, to inform military sexual assault prevention and intervention efforts in the military. A total of 34 of 2436 articles identified met inclusion criteria. Studies often measured alcohol and drug use together. Rates of reported military sexual assaults that involved the use of alcohol or alcohol/drugs ranged from 14% to 66.1% (<i>M </i>= 36.94%; <i>Mdn </i>= 37%) among servicemen and from 0% to 83% (<i>M </i>= 40.27%; <i>Mdn </i>= 41%) among servicewomen. More precise prevalence estimates of the intersection between alcohol and military sexual assault were limited due to inconsistencies in the definitions of sexual assault and alcohol use, measures of sexual assault and alcohol use, and timeframe for reporting across studies. Future research should standardise the measures, definitions, and timeframes of sexual assault and alcohol-involvement to allow for a more precise estimation of alcohol-involved military sexual assault. Furthermore, event-level data is needed including amount and timeframe of alcohol consumption, relationship between victim and perpetrator, location of alcohol consumption and military sexual assault, and whether the assault was opportunistic or facilitated, to inform military sexual assault prevention and intervention efforts in the military.