Prevalence and Risk of Drugging Victimization Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual College Students

• Date: 01 March 2018
• Published date: 01 March 2018
• Author: Mary N. Lambdin,Corrine M. Williams,Andrew T. Schramm,Ann L. Coker,Suzanne C. Swan,Bonnie S. Fisher
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016817744241
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Prevalence and Risk of

Drugging Victimization

Among Sexual Minority

and Heterosexual

College Students

Andrew T. Schramm

1

, Suzanne C. Swan

2

, Mary N. Lambdin

1

,

Bonnie S. Fisher

3

, Ann L. Coker

4

, and Corrine M. Williams

5

Abstract

Drugging (i.e., administering someone a drug or alcohol without their knowledge or consent) is a

problem with substantial consequences for college students. Although sexual minorities face greater

rates of drugging risk factors (e.g., greater rates of binge drinking have been identified among sexual

minorities), no prior study has examined the prevalence or risk of drugging in this population. We

sought to (1) describe rates at which heterosexual and sexual minority college students (separated

by gender) have been drugged and to assess (2) sexual minority status and (3) illicit drug use as risk

factors for drugging victimization for male and female college students. Results revealed that,

controlling for established drugging victimization risk factors, male sexual minority college students

were 72.9% more likely to report drugging victimization than heterosexual males. No significant

differences in rates of drugging victimization were found between sexual minority and heterosexual

women. However, both genders had greater drugging victimization among students who engaged in

illicit drug use, binge drinking, and Greek life membership. These findings suggest that initiatives to

promote the well-being of college students (e.g., sexual assault prevention) should include drugging

as a focus, with outreach particularly to women and sexual minority men.

Keywords

drugging, sexual minority, LGBT, sexual assault

1

Psychology Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

2

Psychology Department and Women’s and Gender Studies Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

3

School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

4

Department of Epidemiology and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

5

College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

Corresponding Author:

Andrew T. Schramm, Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.

Email: schramm.andrew@gmail.com

Criminal Justice Review

2018, Vol. 43(1) 45-59

ª2017 Georgia State University

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DOI: 10.1177/0734016817744241

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