• Facts about alcohol
• Sex and alcohol some facts
• Help is available

Facts about alcohol

1 drink is =

• 12oz. Bottle of beer (5% alcohol)
• 5oz. Wine (12% alcohol)
• 1 ½ oz. Spirits (eg. Vodka, tequila, etc.)

1. More than 12 drinks a week greatly increases your risk of alcohol problems.
2. More than 1 drink an hour increases your risk of becoming drunk.
3. Alcohol reduces your ability to study.
4. Alcohol impairs reaction time, side vision, balance, reflexes, eye/hand coordination, thereby interfering with ones' ability to drive a vehicle or to participate in sports and recreational activities.
5. Alcohol is a depressant, not a problem solver. If you are already stressed or depressed, it can make things worse, not better. 

Tips:

• Encourage those around you to drink sensibly
• N.B. Don't leave any drink unattended
• N.B. Don't drink any drink you didn't see being made

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Sex and alcohol some facts

• Alcohol becomes a contributing factor to violence by reducing inhibitions, increasing tolerance for pain (physical and emotional) and providing a rationalization for violent behaviour.
• An American report on date rape involving over 6100 students, found that 75% of men and 55% of women involved in incidences of date rape had been drinking or using drugs.
• Being drunk does not diminish sexual responsibility. One can be charged with sexual assault if a rape is committed while under the influence of alcohol.
• 64% of males and 50% of females aged 16-21 years stated they were less likely to use condoms after drinking.
• Alcohol impairs judgment needed to take "safer sex" precautions, to say "no" to sexual intercourse and to use sanitary methods of injecting drugs.
• When they drink, 76% of young women having sex for the first time will not use birth control.

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Help is available

Have you had...

• Unexpected or unplanned or unprotected intercourse...

Call the Health Unit’s Health ACTION Line at 1-800-660-5853 for information about:

• Early contraceptive pill - ECP within 120 hours (5days)
• STI testing
• Pregnancy testing
• Problems with drug or alcohol use

In case of sexual assault, save the evidence, don’t shower, go immediately to your local emergency department.

For more information and support call the Sexual Assault Centre of Leeds & Grenville.

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