When one looks up what is a "side effect" of drinking too much, any website will typically give you the same results. The side effects you can expect from drinking range from feeling a bit more happy and friendly,to blacking out, losing consciousness and death. Yes, this wide range of side effects rom harmless to deadly are the result of consuming a beverage.
However, when looking at websites describing the "side effects" of alcohol, I did not find one article that says rape as a side effect.
We can all admit that binge drinking is far from a good idea. We hear of horror stories of people becoming critical ill or dying. And if someone is binge drinking, they need to be told not to be doing that because it is very unsafe and wrong. However, it does happen.
When someone drinks more alcohol than they know they are able to handle, they should expect a hangover, and do deserve it. They expect a headache in the morning, maybe some vomiting. They expect that maybe the night before, they said something to a friend they shouldn't have. Or maybe belt out the words to a song even though they have stage fright. And if one chooses to drink to that extent, then they know that these things are coming. You can expect a lot of things when you heavily drink beyond these "side effects", but you should not have to expect to be raped.
Instead, they should expect to have a cab called for them. They should expect to be given a glass of water instead of another drink. They should be expected to be taken to their home, where they are checked on and made sure they are alright. They should expect that if they were blacked out from drinking, to wake up to someone caring for them and making sure they are alright. They should expect that if they are found unconscious by a dumpster, that they should be taken to a hospital and cared for by doctors for alcohol poisoning, and not having a rape kit done.
If you are drunk and get a DUI, you should expect to be responsible. If you hurt someone when you are drunk, you should expect to be responsible. If you rape someone when you are drunk, you should expect to be responsible.
DUIs, crime, violence, and rape are not "side effects" of drinking on either end. But, if you rape someone if you are drunk, you should expect to be punished just as someone who is drunk and caused an accident. We should let people know that raping or having the desire to rape is not a side effect of being drunk. Being drunk doesn't mean expecting to be raped.
The idea of expecting something from another individual can make you sound entitled and superior. But, all of us should expect and are entitled to feeling safe if we have that extra drink. We should be expecting these things from everyone around us, because it is the right thing to do. And maybe having that one extra drink wasn't the best idea, but the worst that someone should expect is maybe having to take an Advil in the morning for that headache, not having to report a rape.
Rape is not a "side effect" of drinking. Not a soul deserves to be raped just because they drank too much. Society is taking sexual violence much more lightly then it should. Why is it that when someone injuries another because of being drunk we see no issue with holding them responsible. But, when someone is accused of rape, we struggle to hold them accountable.
It is not good to drink too much, but your alcohol consumption does not cause rape.
