Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Claire Kaplan" <>]

I have used the drunk driving analogy in my work, taking care to emphasize
the act of the driver/act of the rapist.  However I would also be careful
about stating "no one would have sex with someone they don't want to when
they are drunk, any more than they would when they are sober."  My reasoning
is because we have dealt with students in an alcohol blackout, which is
decidedly different than being "plain" drunk.  Women get into a blackout
more easily than men because they metabolize alcohol differently.  A
blackout occurs when one consumes too much too fast (as opposed to too much
over a length of time).  People in a blackout can behave almost as if they
were sober (not totally) and yet have no recollection of events later on.
There are ways that people can judge whether or not someone is in a
blackout, but given the alcohol-saturated environments of some of our
campuses, we need to point out that a person may appear to be consenting,
but in a blackout, one cannot really be giving consent.  I'd be curious to
know how others of you educate your students about this particular
situation.

Thanks,

Claire

 

 

 

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Claire N. Kaplan, Ph.D.

Director, Sexual & Domestic Violence Services

Manager, Sexual Assault Program Coordinators List

UVA Women's Center

PO Box 800588

Charlottesville VA 22908-0588

http://womenscenter.virginia.edu/sdvs

434-982-2774 / 434-982-2361