Verbal versus physical victimization from other people's drinking: how do gender, age, and their interactions with drinking pattern affect vulnerability?

OBJECTIVE

The main objectives of this study were to determine (1) the extent of differential association of gender and age with being the victim of aggression by someone who has been drinking (i.e., alcohol-related victimization) for both verbal and physical forms of victimization and (2) whether drinking status/pattern interacts with gender and age in predicting verbal and physical victimization.

METHOD

A general population survey of Canadian adults ages 18-76 was conducted using random digit dialing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Respondents who reported verbal victimization only, physical victimization only, and any combination of verbal and physical victimization were compared with those who reported no victimization.

RESULTS

Verbal victimization was significantly more likely for women than for men, whereas physical victimization was more likely for men than for women. Younger age was more strongly associated with physical than with verbal victimization. In terms of significant interaction effects, the relationship between heavy episodic drinking (HED) and experiencing verbal victimization alone and combined verbal and physical victimization (but not for physical victimization alone) was significant for women but not for men. HED was significantly associated with experiencing combined verbal and physical victimization for younger people but not for older people.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research on alcohol-related victimization needs to take into consideration the nature of alcohol-related victimization (e.g., verbal vs physical) and potential interactions involving gender and age. The significant relationship between HED and combined verbal and physical victimization for younger persons suggests that prevention efforts aimed at decreasing heavy drinking among young people may reduce their risk of victimization.