BAR VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN

Little is known about the types and specific circumstances that surrou nd the victimization of women who drink in the public context of bars. This study provides a preliminary description of the types of violenc e experienced by women bar drinkers and the roles of exposure and impa irment as risk factors for encountering bar-related aggression. Both q uantitative and qualitative data were collected from 52 women bar drin kers through self-administered questionnaires and focus-group discussi ons about their lifestyles, alcohol and drug use, and patterns of bar drinking. Nearly half of the women (48.1%) had experienced physical vi olence (e.g., assault) and one third (32.6%) had experienced either at tempted or completed rape associated with drinking in a bar. Our findi ngs indicate that women who regularly drink in bars experience a subst antial amount of physical and sexual aggression associated with these settings.