Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol and Drugs Increase Unsafe Behavior

The use of alcohol and drugs can affect judgment and lead to taking serious sexual risks.

Studies show that after drinking alcohol adolescents are:

• less likely to use condoms when having sex
• at higher risks of obtaining STDs and HIV/AIDS
• at higher risk of dating violence
• at higher risk of sexual assault
• at higher risk of pregnancy

As a teenager, you will face difficult choices about drinking as well as tough choices about having sex. No matter what choices you make about one or the other activity individually, there are some things about sex and alcohol you need to know. It's plain and simple, alcohol alters your ability to think clearly. When you drink, at some point you will begin to see the world through “beer goggles”, Mixing sex with alcohol and other drugs increases the chances of pregnancy and exposure to STDs. One study reported that 60% of young adult women who are infected with a STD report they were under the influence of alcohol at the time they had sex with the infected partner.

The issue of sexual assault may be one of the most well known dangers involved in mixing both alcohol and sex. The most important about this issue is to understand a basic truth: NO ONE EVER ASKS OR DESERVES TO BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.

Call us, we can help.

It's free and confidential.

Teen Advocate

County-Wide (360) 376-5979

24 Hour Crisis Line

Orcas Island (360) 376-1234

San Juan Island (360) 378-2345

Lopez Island (360) 468-4567

Do you know the Law?

It's against the law to have sexual contact with a person who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or prescriptions and cannot make a clear decision about having sex. Under the influence means “really out of it” to put it another way, so if someone is passed out, or is just too high, drunk to think clearly there is no “Informed Consent” that has taken place.

Males can be prosecuted for rape when there wasn't informed consent by partner.