More than 80 percent of rapes on college campuses are committed by someone with whom the victim is acquainted; about 50 percent are committed on dates. Approximately 15 to 30 percent of college women report experiencing acquaintance rape. Alcohol use by the victim and/or perpetrator is frequently associated with acquaintance rape. Several explanations have been offered to characterize the relationship between acquaintance rape and alcohol use. Three explanations focus on alcohol consumption by the male perpetrator: expectation about the effects of alcohol; misperception of a woman's sexual intent; and use of alcohol to justify behavior. Four other explanations concern alcohol consumption by the female victim: poor sending and receiving of friendly and sexual cues; diminished coping responses; stereotypes about drinking women; and enhanced sense of responsibility. The author points out that alcohol consumption often occurs in social settings where sexual activity is a possible and often desired outcome. Both male and female college students need to be aware of the link between sexual assault and intoxication and taught strategies to reduce this risk. Additional research on the relationship between acquaintance rape and drug abuse is recommended. 40 references