"She got drunk so it is her fault

she got raped"  is becoming a more common statement - and, with that, come furious outcries from others that this is not true.

I am not going to get involved in that argument. The argument however does raise some other questions about the consumption of alcohol.

The "drinking age" when I was at teacher training college was twenty-one. Of course there was some underage drinking but there was no "bar" on any tertiary campus in the state. There would have been no point because a majority of the students would not have been able to legally buy alcohol. Now they can. What is more many students have more disposable income than before. Alcohol consumption is a major issue.

In  my second year at law school there were two incidents in one of the halls of residence. A very quiet first  year student who did not want to be involved in the "orientation" activities was held down by other students. Alcohol was forced down her throat and she ended up in hospital. I remember the "she asked for it" arguments. "She should just have had a drink" and "well what did she expect if she wouldn't join in?"  There was the boy who left four days later because they tried to do the same thing to him. He fought them off and was told to leave because of his "violent" behaviour. He nearly lost his place at  university and it was only because a staff member did believe his story that he found somewhere else to live.

In both cases the student who did not want to drink was the one who was held to be responsible.  Both students had problems for the rest of their time at university. They stayed but it took more strength of character than most people realised. 

We didn't have that problem. There were problems of course but there were no on campus problems like that. It makes me wonder whether we shouldn't be rid of bars on tertiary campuses and in other places. It makes me wonder whether we should also be rid of them in places like parliament. It makes me wonder whether there should be a "no alcohol" requirement for all drivers.

Alcohol does change the way people behave. Forcing it on other people or even encouraging them to "have another one" should surely be a criminal offence. People should be able to feel free to say "No" without fear of ridicule or censure or the thought that it might be "impolite". Those who do use it need to take responsibility for how much they imbibe as well.

While it might well be something to enjoy perhaps I am lucky I am allergic to alcohol?