THREE TYPES OF ALCOHOL - RAPE SITUATIONS ARE PRESENTED AND DIFFERENTIATED - RAPE INVOLVING A DRINKING OFFENDER, RAPE INVOLVING AN ALCOHOLIC OFFENDER, AND RAPE WHICH MAY BE TRIGGERED OR CATALYZED BY ALCOHOL. REPRESENTATIVE CASE HISTORIES SERVE AS EXAMPLES OF EACH SITUATION TYPE. THE AUTHOR ALSO EXAMINES THREE THEORIES WHICH HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO EXPLAIN THE POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND THE COMMISSION OF VIOLENT SEXUAL CRIMES: THE DISINHIBITION THEORY STATED THAT ALCOHOL NUMBS JUDGMENT AND REDUCES INHIBITION OF SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE SEXUAL FANTASIES AND IMPULSES; THE DIRECT EFFECT THEORY THAT ALCOHOL MAY HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON EITHER THE AGGRESSIVE OR SEXUAL CENTERS OF THE BRAIN; AND THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON MALE TESTOSTERONE THEORY THAT CHRONIC ALCOHOL USE LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN THE MEAN PLASMA TESTOSTERONE LEVEL OR PRODUCTION RATE ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE OR AGGRESSION. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE AS ARE TWO COMMENTARIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND RAPE.