Binge drinking and sexual assault among women in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Alcohol related sexual assault is a growing epidemic world wide that affects mainly women. There is urgent need to empower women to identify behaviors and situations that may predispose them to sexual victimization. Objectives: The study was carried out to determine the relationship between binge drinking and sociodemographic factors. It also assessed the relationship between binge drinking and sexual assault. Methods: The cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Jos North Local Government Area from March to July, 2017. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 272 participants aged 18 years and above who consented after obtaining ethical approval. Results: The total numbers of participants were 272 females with an age range of 18-60 years. The mean age was 28.8 ± 8.6 years. The socio-demographic variables significantly associated with binge drinking were marital status ( X 2 = 9.847, DF = 2, p = 0.007), educational status ( X 2 = 10.684, DF = 3, p = 0.014) and employment status ( X 2 = 5.122, DF = 1, p = 0.024). Binge drinking was significantly associated with sexual assault ( X 2 = 10.732, DF = 1, p = 0.001). Previously married were significantly more likely to binge drink compared with never married and married. Those with no formal education were more likely to binge drink compared to those with tertiary education while the unemployed were less likely to binge drink compared with the employed. The sexually assaulted (P = 0.01, OR = 2.429, CI = 1.419-4.157) were 2 times more likely to binge drink. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between binge drinking with marital status, employment, lower level of education and sexual assault. Women should be provided with information about the safe level of alcohol consumption and the many consequences of heavy drinking including sexual assault. Keywords: Binge drinking, women, sexual assault, socio-demographic, Jos