Incapacitated, Forcible, and Drug/Alcohol-Facilitated Rape in Relation to Binge Drinking, Marijuana Use, and Illicit Drug Use: A National Survey

This study examined the relation between rape and substance use problems as a function of three legally recognized forms of rape: forcible, incapacitated, and drug/alcohol facilitated rape. Data were collected via structured telephone interview within a national household sample of U.S. women aged 18–34 years (n = 1,998). Lifetime experience of incapacitated rape was associated with increased odds of past-year binge drinking, marijuana use, and illicit drug use. Lifetime history of forcible rape and drug/alcohol facilitated rape were associated with increased odds of marijuana and illicit drug use. Findings highlight the importance of including incapacitated and drug/alcohol facilitated rape in trauma history assessments, particularly among substance abusing populations, and have implications for secondary prevention and treatment of women with victimization histories. (Publisher abstract provided.)