The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that binge drinking among young women aged 18 to 34 continues at a crazy rate.
1 in 8 young women consuming four or more drinks in a single sitting. That’s a lot of young women doing a lot of drinking.
I just wonder how much of the promiscuity problems that exist with young women, especially on college campuses is directly related to drinking. I know this isn’t a revolutionary thought but I’d bet that many young women know that there’s a problem with casually hooking up whether it’s moral or disease related. But what’s the message most receive about drinking? Don’t drink and drive. That’s pretty much it.
I can remember a handful of girls in college who were absolutely serious and willing to take a strong stand to prevent their friends from drinking and driving. But they would never take a stand to warn friends off from casual hookups which could have several deleterious consequences including a body count. Why? I suspect that they feel societal support for admonishing friends for drinking and driving but none against casual sex.
As a parent of four daughters and a son I find myself thinking about colleges even though I’ve got a bit to wait. While I know that teaching sexual morality is important it’s also crucial to warn them about drinking.
We have to give our kids the support to make the right decision. Don’t expect that the colleges are going to do any of the work for you. Dorms are treated by many colleges including Catholic ones as free for all zones. It’s like a sexual Lord of the Flies behind the walls.
Give your kids the facts. And choose their college carefully.
January 15, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Follow-up. Do they engage in the drinking in order to allow themselves to be promiscuous? I believe there is a definite sense that the drinking is a way of opening themselves up to the sexual behavior that they may otherwise not be inclined to go through with.
January 16, 2013 at 2:16 am
"It's not my fault. It didn't know what I was doing. I was drunk." (I am not responsible.) that's how it works. Don't wait until they're leaving for college to start talking about it. Middle School is plenty old enough.
January 16, 2013 at 2:29 am
Chris has it right. My sense, at least 20 years ago, was that the alcohol was a necessary social lubricant/anesthetic. Of course, these gals, for whatever reason, never questioned the underlying assumption that they just has to go hookup with a stranger every weekend…
January 16, 2013 at 1:16 pm
@Ann: Middle school? We may not've had the details of the act itself till then, but my siblings and I knew all about the social and moral aspects of sex pretty much since first or second grade.
January 17, 2013 at 1:22 pm
At my relative's college the fraternities had punch bowls for the incoming freshman girls to drink from. It was widely known by the upper classman males that the punch was spiked with Roofies. But the freshman girls were unaware. Their welcome to the new college was rape. Catholic colleges are definitely no immune & drinking plays a huge role. The only college I know of where I do not see this kind of thing happening is Ave Maria University. This stuff is rampant, as you can see from these articles; http://badgerherald.com/news/2009/03/04/alleged_rape_at_sigm.php
http://www.thejanedough.com/frats-and-rape/