Exploring the alcohol-violence connection

1. Florence Kellner—Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse Exploring the alcohol-violence connection

2. Primary considerations • Alcohol and violence, some research • The role of culture • Demographics • Partner Violence • Bars/clubs and the night time economy

3. Who, Where, and how much? • Males • Ages 18-25 • Single • Restaurant or bar • Positive BAC (A=10.0%; V=61.%, for Canada). • Dose-response relationship: the higher the BAC, the greater the odds of violence (For BAC>80mg%, A=4.1% and V=38.9, for Canada).

4. Considering Culture • Drunken comportment and “time out.” • Males and females and the cultural script. • Young people and the emergence of “extreme drinking.”

5. Extreme Drinking (an aside) • Intoxication • Motivation • Process • Outcomes • Alcohol Maturity

6. Partner Violence • High proportions of people with drinking problems are violent with and/or toward their partners. • The more alcohol consumed, the more likely the fight will be physical and severe. • GENACIS project, data collected 2004/2005.

7. GENACIS Survey, 2004/2005 • Aggression by opposite sex: Men, 7.2%; Women, 5.3%. • Aggression toward opposite sex: Men, 3.2%; Women, 5.7%. • Female Victim: 69% of incidents that did not involve alcohol. • Female Aggressor: 75%... • Male Victim: 82%... • Male Aggressor: 74% …

8. Bar Violence • Bars are a frequent venue for assaults and deaths. • Multifaceted programs directed at controlling behaviour in and around bars reduce violence. • Pre-drinking is a practice and a problem. • The night time economy and extreme drinking.

9. Some Solutions • ???????