Alcohol Use and Sexual Violence Case Attrition: Outcomes in 6 Jurisdictions in the U.S.

• In Event: Research on Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations and Criminal Justice System Outcomes

Abstract

Our examination of the progress of sexual assault cases through the criminal justice system in 6 jurisdictions addresses the many questions of concern to victims, practitioners and researchers about why cases often do not move forward to arrest and prosecution. In discussions of the challenges these cases present, few issues have drawn as much attention as the role of alcohol use in sexual assault. Alcohol use is present in many cases and alcohol or drug facilitated sexual assault is estimated to impact 300,000 - 500,000 women in the U.S. each year. While most of these cases are never reported to the police, the ways in which alcohol facilitated sexual assault of older adolescents, college students and college-age women are handled by the system, once reported, is critical for understanding and remediating this problem. Based on analysis of over 3000 cases reported to the police and in-depth qualitative interviews, this paper examines how alcohol use impacts sexual violence case attrition. We describe how this case characteristic interacts with issues of consent, credibility, victim cooperation, and forensic evidence in arrest and prosecution decision-making.

Authors

• Linda M. Williams, Wellesley Centers for Women

• April Pattavina, Wellesley College

• Melissa Morabito, University of Massachusetts Lowell