Sexual Health and Alcohol Use: The Need for Evidence-Based, Theory-Led Strategies to Address Sexual Assault and Promote Active Consent Among Young Adults

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This seminar, as part of the Health and Well-being cluster of the Whitaker Institute, presents findings from multi-disciplinary research on the sexual health of university students – a set of studies carried out in response to research published by Rape Crisis Network Ireland in 2014 that revealed close associations between sexual activity and alcohol use.  The Galway Healthy Cities Initiative has supported NUIG researchers to carry out research on alcohol use and its links to sexual assault and consent, in a third level student population in particular. This work has now progressed to the point of suggesting how issues around consent to sex can be addressed. The seminar will describe survey findings on these topics and outline how the researchers are now using the research evidence to collaborate with student organisations and student support services in achieving social change.

The current research was undertaken with three aims – to add to existing data on the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, to establish an evidence base on attitudes and behaviours linked to consent to sex, and to enable new strategies for promoting active consent. The awareness that adults in Ireland often pair drinking alcohol with sexual encounters underpins each of these aims.

Internationally, researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and student advocates are increasingly aware of sexual violence as an unwelcome, damaging facet of the university experience. There is now an imperative to identify the scale and nature of sexual assault and harassment, and to marshal the resources of the university community to address the issue. At the same time, sex-positive approaches to sexual health promotion and the emergence of research into consent puts these efforts in context – consent is as relevant to sexual satisfaction as it is to assault prevention.

The presenters will report on the picture of sexual health that emerges from five surveys of students conducted during 2015 – in respect of indicators such as frequency and comfort of engaging in different sexual activities, rates of sexual assault, and how consent is expressed during sexual encounters. In addition, they will show how these quantitative findings, when combined with qualitative exploration of attitudes and expectations for consent, have the potential to be employed in new strategies that promote active consent. Specifically, we report on a community theatre project that inspired students to create a dramatic representation of the ‘grey areas’ associated with consent; and a consent workshop that brings students into contact with theory and evidence using innovative techniques. Finally, we discuss these initiatives in light of social marketing survey findings demonstrating that, for students, sexual health is a key priority that requires action.

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Seminar runs from 11am to 1pm, and will be followed by a complimentary lunch.

 
Supported by Galway Healthy Cities Initiative, Galway Alcohol Forum, Explore (NUIG Students’ Union), Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Irish Research Council New Foundations Civic Society Strand, the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland, NUI Galway Student Services, and UCC Student Services.