Study Finds Where Person Drinks Influences Risk of Partner Violence

The location where people drink influences whether they will be involved in partner violence, suggests a new study. Men drinking in bars and at parties away from home are more likely to be involved in male-to-female violence, as are women who drink in parks and other public places.

The study also found men who drink during quiet evenings at home are more likely to be involved in female-to-male violence, HealthDay reports.

More than 1,500 couples participated in the study. They were asked about their drinking in various locations. While it has long been known that drinking is linked with partner violence, the researchers say this study demonstrates the location where the drinking occurs, and the situation in which it occurs, can also play a role.

The findings are published in the journal Addiction.

“From a prevention perspective, the results are quite hopeful: it may be possible to reduce violence against spouses and partners by encouraging people in risky relationships to avoid drinking in certain contexts,” the researchers note in a news release. “Such advice could well be more effective in the short-term than encouraging people to drink less.”