Incapacitated sexual assault is broadly defined as being drunk, under the influence of drugs, passed out, asleep or otherwise incapacitated.

If you were assaulted, it is important to remember, regardless if it was your decision to consume alcohol or other drugs, being sexually assaulted is not your fault. It is important to report this incident so we can assist you in addressing the personal impact of this event.

It is also important to remember, if you are participating in an intimate experience with someone who has been consuming alcohol or other drugs, it is possible that they are unable to consent to the sexual activity. It is best to stop the experience and have a discussion about sexual activity after both parties are able to give consent.

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The general relationship between substance use and sexual assault has been well documented, especially with respect to research focusing on university samples. Substance use can incapacitate a victim or make it difficult for her to consent to or refuse sexual activity. It may also decrease a perpetrator's sense of responsibility or awareness of his behavior, lead to the misinterpretation of cues, diminish the victim's ability to prevent an assault, or lead to women taking risks they might otherwise avoid.

Several studies have reported that over half of the victims and perpetrators of sexual assault among college students had been drinking alcohol prior to the assault

In the National College Women Sexual Victimization (NCWSV) study, 43% of the sexual victimization incidents involved alcohol consumption by victims and 69% involved alcohol consumption by the perpetrator.

These findings clearly demonstrate that a strong relationship exists between substance use and sexual assault. However, they do not identify sexual assault incidents that occurred because of victim incapacitation. Many students drink without becoming incapacitated, and it would be inappropriate to assume that any incidents in which the victim was drinking could be classified as incapacitated sexual assaults.

Information taken from: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/221153.pdf

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