Alcohol And Interpersonal Violence

From the President of the Research Society on Alcoholism On behalf of the Research Society on Alcoholism, I am pleased to introduce this thirteenth volume of Recent Developments in Alcoholism about alcohol and violence. Current concepts are presented in well-organized sections that - cus on epidemiology, neurobiology, psychology, and family issues. It is - coming increasingly clear that age, gender, socioeconomic circumstances, and genetics affect aggressive behavior and vulnerability to alcoholism. This v- ume contains up-to-date discussions of these issues. Indeed, the information presented here will help all alcohol researchers to identify biological and social factors that contribute to the comorbidity of alcoholism and aggression. The editors and associate editors should be congratulated for bringing toge- er such important information. This volume will be a valuable resource for investigators and therapists alike. Ivan Diamond M. D. , Ph. D. President, Research Society on Alcoholism From the President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine The American Society of Addiction Medicine is honored to continue its - sponsorship with the Research Society on Alcoholism of Recent Developmen ts in Alcoholism. The topic of alcohol and violence is a particularly timely one, given the growing number of studies that are examining the relationship between the two. These studies are consistent with the hypothesis that al- hol can increase aggression and contribute to both domestic and criminal violence. Intoxicating blood levels of alcohol have been found to be especially prevalent in those injured in fights and assaults.

The past quarter-century has witnessed a dramatic upsurge of violent crime in the United States and abroad. In this country, the rise in violent criminal activity has been consistently documented in such published accounts as the Uniform Crime Reports and the Statistical Handbook on Violence in America, published by the FBI and the Vio lence Research Group, respectively. Further, social scientists-particularly those working in the fields of sociology and psychology-have provided a convergence of findings attesting to the magnitude of one of today's most significant social problems: domestic violence (e. g. , spouse, child, and elder abuse). Such efforts have served as the impetus for heightened clinical and investigative activity in the area of violent be havior. Indeed, a wide range of mental health experts (such as psychologists, psychi atrists, social workers, counselors, and rehabilitation specialists) have endeavored to focus on strategies and issues in research and treatment for violent individuals and their victims. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive and timely examination of current psychological approaches with violent criminal offenders. Despite the fact that we continue to have much to learn about perpetrators of violent acts, in recent an increasingly large body of empirical data have been adduced about this years issue. However, these data generally have appeared in disparate journals and books. That being the case, it is our belief that such a handbook now is warranted.

This book provides a chronology of the 68th Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, which is focused on contemporary research knowledge about sexual violence and alcohol use. This book is more specific to dating and intimate partner sexual violence in young adult populations. The target audience is researchers, prevention agencies and policymakers within academia and military settings. Alcohol use has long been recognized as a major contributor to sexual assault, with an estimated 50% of sexual assaults in the U.S. involving drinking by the victim, perpetrator, or both. Beyond the usual harmful effects, alcohol-involved assaults are associated with unique sequelae for female victims, including increased self-blame, stigma, and greater alcohol use to cope. Moreover, heavier drinking on the part of the perpetrator is associated with more serious incidents of assault (e.g., involving physical force) that result in more severe outcomes for victims. The purpose of this Symposium on Motivation is to bring together a group of experts in the areas of alcohol and sexual aggression to articulate the causes, consequences, and mechanisms of alcohol-involved sexual assault. Speakers will talk about classic and contemporary research and theories on these issues using cutting-edge approaches (e.g., virtual reality, neuroscience, laboratory-based alcohol administration) from a variety of perspectives (perpetrators, victims, bystanders).

In the last decade there has been heightened clinical and investigative activity in the area of family violence. This, of course, is partly attributable to recent surveys showing a high incidence of family violence in the United States. For example, there are indications that nearly 30% of married women in this country are victims of physical abuse by spouses at some point in their marriage. Further, FBI statistics show that approximately 13% of all homicides are husband-wife killings. Moreover, it has been projected that such figures are likely to increase over the next several years. Consistent with these trends, funding of family violence research by both federal and private agencies has increased. Indeed, federal agencies, such as the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, have provided considerable support for work in this area. In addition, family violence, particu larly wifebattering, child abuse, and sexual abuse of children has been the focus of media attention at the national level, and has generated intensive interest in both lay and profes sional publications. Moreover, there have been several recent governmental hearings and investigations regarding the prevalence of these problems.

This book is Pan American Health Organization's latest contribution in the effort to better understand partner violence and, in so doing, find more effective interventions to right this wrong. The book explores the relationship between alcohol consumption and partner violence gathering information from both the aggressor's and the victim's perspective. It brings to light evidence of alcohol's impact on partner aggression from 10 countries in the Americas (Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, and the United States), and represents an unprecedented effort to collect and analyse information from the general population that can be compared across countries. Despite wide differences between countries and cultures, there are common characteristics and trends in the relationship between alcohol and partner violence. This publication will be of interest to the academic and research communities, health promoters, health professionals, communicators, ministries of public health, and the victims of partner aggression.