Just Because They're Drunk Doesn't Mean You're Entitled
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Just Because They're Drunk Doesn't Mean You're Entitled

A closer look at how alcohol affects consent.

24
Just Because They're Drunk Doesn't Mean You're Entitled
Pexels

“This girl and I are trashed. I’m so getting laid.”

My boyfriend got that text, along with a picture of an attractive blonde perched on a counter. It was sent by one of his friends to a group chat of six guys— and he had already decided he was "getting laid" because they were drunk. However, intoxication doesn't entitle you to someone else's body and it isn't an excuse to feed desire.

According to the CDC, alcohol impairs brain function, resulting in poor judgment, reduced reaction, loss of balance/motor skills and a lack of alertness. Despite all the research we have to back up these effects, they're ignored in issues and cases involving alcohol and consent.

Your brain is the decision-maker of your body. It takes into account pros, cons, guilt and reasoning, then uses all that information to make the right choice. When your brain's impaired, you’re physically incapable of making good judgment calls.

That means it’s impossible for someone to consent to sexual activity when they can’t reason with themselves and don’t know what they’re saying yes to. It’s impossible to consent when they can barely walk or talk. It’s impossible to consent when they aren’t alert or completely aware of what’s happening to their body.

Not many people seem to understand that— including the boys who saw that photo. My boyfriend suggested the two shouldn't have sex because neither of them were in a position to properly consent. The other guys responded with, “Don’t listen to him.” “Ignore him.”

One said, “It’s just rape, bruh. Six months.”

Just rape. Six months. That idea comes from a long trail of victim-blaming, alcohol consumption and the result of the Brock Turner rape case. The victim’s intoxication factored heavily into the trial and questioning, making it seem as if her own impairment was to blame for what happened to her. And she wasn't the first one that happened to.

In a CNN report about the recent plea deal involving John Enochs and his dropped rape charges, former Philadelphia assistant district attorney Jennifer Long said, “In cases where alcohol is involved, it highlights a double standard … Perpetrators become less blameworthy and victims become more responsible for what happened to them.”

Brock Turner tried to blame his drinking and said that his judgment was impaired. And while it’s true that he couldn’t properly make decisions, that doesn’t lay the blame on the alcohol. He still made a choice to take advantage of an intoxicated woman. Drinking doesn’t excuse his actions. His victim wasn’t alert. She wasn’t responsive. She wasn’t aware. If anything, her intoxication proves that she couldn't consent to what he was doing.

Yet lawyers and courts continuously use alcohol as a scapegoat for rapists. Rapists think that if they’re intoxicated or if their victim is intoxicated, they can’t be blamed. That thinking has leaked into the millennial generation. Court verdicts have reinforced the idea that alcohol acts as a free pass and has caused people to disregard consent if they or the other party is drunk.

But as more information and court cases come to light in the United States, people have started to acknowledge that there are more impaired decisions to be made than drunk driving. A community of people around the world has started to speak up against the role of alcohol in rape cases and why victims can't be held accountable.

The problem is students who go out to get drunk and laid won't listen to a short post highlighting the dangers of drunk sex. They're too concerned with "loosening up" to bother understanding what consent really is. Alcohol will continue to be used as an excuse to get laid until we directly address the problem and the court system decides to acknowledge the disgusting ideals they'e presenting to society.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

45218
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

28581
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

953154
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

159941
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments