The British Crime Survey, a survey of a representative sample of the population to obtain their reports on criminal victimization, estimates that 1 in 10 women have been sexually victimized since they were 16 years old. The research shows that many perpetrators drank alcohol immediately prior to their sexual crimes and/or had drinking problems at the time. Perpetrators' alcohol consumption has been found by researchers to be associated sometimes with more severe sexual violations and physical aggression. Some of the factors believed by researchers to explain the link between alcohol and sexual violence are the tendency for drinking to be a shared activity, the pharmacological effects of alcohol, and beliefs and expectations about the effects of alcohol. Research has also found that many victims develop drinking problems as a response to sexual victimization. Also, drinking is an early predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder development among victims of sexual offenses. Alcohol use has been found more likely in incidents of sexual violence between people who do not know each other well than with intimates. Alcohol problems are common among both male perpetrators of sexual violence and among sexual violence victims. Some research gaps identified are the prevalence of alcohol involvement in various types of sexual violence, the type of drinking event implicated in sexual violence, the influence of perpetrator characteristics on alcohol-related sexual violence, and the role of alcohol in sexual violence in potentially high-risk and marginalized groups. 30 references