Alcohol, sexual assault, and harassment

Sexual assault and harassment are serious examples of the way alcohol can cause harm to people other than the person who is drinking. There is clear evidence that shows alcohol is linked to people who commit these offences – from verbal harassment¹ to the most serious sexual offences, including rape.²

There is also evidence that some of the offenders who commit sexual assaults target people who are vulnerable due to alcohol or drugs.³ Alcohol-related sexual harassment can take place in a range of places including nightclubs, bars, and pubs.⁴

Alcohol is never an excuse, and sexual assault and harassment are never acceptable.

Below we look at the role of alcohol in contributing towards these behaviours, and what support is available if you encounter them.

The link between alcohol, sexual assault, and harassment

If you've been sexually assaulted, or harassed, it's important to remember that it was not your fault.

Alcohol isn’t the cause of any sexual assaults or harassment – the people that commit the offences are. But alcohol is often linked to many cases:

• Almost four out of ten (39%) victims of rape or attempted rape in England and Wales said the offender had been drinking. A similar percentage (38%) reported being under the influence of alcohol themselves⁵

• Around 4% of UK adults said they had 'ever' felt forced or pressured into sex or something sexual because of someone else's drinking. This rises to 12% among 18 to 24 year olds⁶

• Nearly a third of sexual harassment incidents were reported to happen in a club, pub, or bar (31%)⁷

A report by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University revealed nine in 10 (87%) UK adults think people spike drinks to commit sexual assault or rape. It also showed that although in most cases (55%) no further crime took place after being spiked, an additional crime did happen in some cases. This included harassment (4%), sexual assault (8%), and rape (4%).⁸

Spiking a drink – whether with extra alcohol or another substance – is a serious crime, carrying a maximum 10 year jail sentence in the UK.⁹

While alcohol-related sexual harassment cases may take place in clubs, bars, and pubs, they can also take place in other locations as well and don’t only happen on nights out.¹⁰

Studies show that there is a clear link between alcohol use and intimate partner violence (also sometimes known as ‘domestic violence’) – which is any form or physical, sexual, or psychological violence against a current or former partner. In 2023/24, one in four (24%) victims of domestic violence believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol.¹¹

What to do if you think you've been assaulted

One of the effects of having your drink spiked can be amnesia or loss of memory. That means it’s possible that you won’t be sure if you’ve been assaulted. But if you suspect you’ve been physically or sexually assaulted it’s important to tell someone. Try to confide in someone you trust like a friend or family member.

You can go to the police or hospital accident and emergency department or call 999 or 101 to report it to the police. The police need to know about every possible spiking so they can investigate, even if no other crime has taken place. If you are out in a bar or club, you can report it to a member of staff who will be able to help and support you. If you are injured or have symptoms you are worried about after being spiked, call NHS 111.

If you think you’ve been sexually assaulted, you can go to your nearest sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for specialist care and support. At a SARC you can receive a medical or forensic examination (whether or not you decide to make a report to the police). If you live in London, or the suspected spiking happened in London, you can also report anonymously via the Metropolitan Police’s website.

If you don’t feel able to do that right away, there are Rape Crisis charity helplines you can call for support and advice:

• England and Wales: 0808 500 2222 (24 hours a day, every day of the year)

• Scotland: 0808 801 0302 or text 07537 410 027 (5pm to midnight every day)

• Northern Ireland: 08000 246 991 (Monday and Thursday, 10am to midday and 6pm to 8pm)

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by crime, including sexual harassment or any sort of sexual harm, help and support is available. Victim Support is an independent charity for victims and witnesses of crime. They offer free, confidential help to anyone who’s been affected by sexual harassment. Call 08 08 16 89 111 or go to Victim Support's website.

More broadly, drinking alcohol is linked to aggression¹² and loss of inhibition because of the way it affects the brain.¹³ You can find out more about alcohol and aggression at the bottom of the page.

What’s considered as sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment includes behaviour such as persistently staring at someone, cornering, isolating or following someone, or making obscene gestures or remarks. It can also be verbal abuse, persistent pestering, taking photographs without permission, unwanted attempts to kiss someone, or leering.

While some of these types of harassment were already considered criminal offences, the government in England and Wales passed a new law in 2023 to make public sexual harassment a specific offence.¹⁴

Making unwanted physical contact by intentionally touching someone in a sexual way, such as groping, or intentionally exposing the genitals with the intention of causing alarm or distress are all sexual offences in the UK. These types of crimes can be punished by up to 10 years in jail.^15,16,17

If it’s behaviour that isn’t acceptable, it doesn’t become acceptable if someone, either the perpetrator or the victim, is under the influence of alcohol. This isn’t just true for the types of harassment or assault which break the law – no one’s evening out should be ruined because of intrusive or inappropriate behaviour.

The importance of consent

Consent is when a person agrees to something by choice and has both the freedom and mental capacity (meaning they are aware of, and understand, what is happening) to make a choice. For example, if someone is incapacitated through alcohol (or drugs) they aren’t capable of giving consent.¹⁸

What to do if you’re the victim of sexual assault or harassment

If you have been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember it’s not your fault.

Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) are provided by the NHS throughout the UK. They can provide medical, practical and emotional support, and help you report it to the police if you choose to:

• Sexual assault referral centres in England

• Sexual assault referral centres in Scotland

• Sexual assault referral centres in Wales

• Sexual assault referral centres in Northern Ireland

SARCs are there to help and provide you with choices every step of the way.

Call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger, or if it’s not an emergency you can report a crime by calling 101 or reporting it to the police online.

If you or someone you know have been affected by sexual harassment or any sort of sexual harm, free and confidential help and support is available for victims and witnesses:

• England and Wales: call 08081 689 111 or go online Victim Support's website

• Scotland: call 0800 160 1985 or go online victimsupport.scot

• Northern Ireland: call 028 9024 3133 or 028 7137 0086, or go online victimsupportni.com

Helping someone else

• If you are worried about someone else on a night out, you can make a difference by asking if they’re OK, rather than directly confronting the person whose behaviour is unacceptable. This can defuse the situation

• If they say they need help, you could invite them to join your group, offer to walk them to a different area of the venue, or ask if they'd like you to contact a friend, venue staff, first aid, or security

• Never put your own safety at risk. If a situation looks like it’s getting out of hand, then telling a member of security staff will be more effective and safer

• If you’ve been drinking alcohol, remember your inhibitions may be lowered too – so be mindful of that before intervening. You could ask a friend for a second opinion

Venues that sell alcohol have a responsibility to keep people safe from assault and harassment. The conditions of licenses to sell alcohol include a legal duty for public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder on the licensed premises, which is monitored by the local authority.^19,20

Licenses to sell alcohol usually include conditions relating to things like ensuring that appropriate security and staff training are in place. By reporting any incidents, you can play a part in making these safe spaces for everyone.

Alcohol support services

If you are concerned that you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol there is a lot of help available. Here you can find useful links and phone numbers to get the support you need.