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A survey by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT) on alcohol consumption in the evening among young people reveals different behaviors according to sex: girls are better at apprehending the risks than boys.
The evenings constitute a decisive moment of sociability in the transition to adulthood. Issues of social and gender differentiation, strengthening of friendly ties, taste for risk… Young people play big during these alcoholic rites.
It is in this context that the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT) published its new survey in issue 149 of Tendances. Conducted with 133 young people and divided into three study sections (adolescents aged 15-18; young adults aged 23 maximum; parents of minors aged 15-17), it follows the first edition published in 2017.
Alcoholic evenings: girls establish “control strategies”
Does gender influence alcohol consumption? Yes, according to the results of the ARAMIS2 survey.
“The perception of risks differs between girls and boys, insofar as girls are more attentive to social risks (reputational issues, etc.) and to external risks (caused by outsiders, who could attack or accost them)”say Marc-Antoine Douchet and Paul Neybourger, of the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT).
Girls must therefore control their alcohol consumption more in the evening at the risk of being taken for “easy girls” or “immature”.
“They are subject to contradictory imperatives on the part of boys who judge them and at the same time encourage them to consume alcohol”can we read in the study.
Faced with these hazards (abuse, bad reputation), they set up control strategies ahead of parties, but also afterwards, when they return home at night, alone in the street or by public transport (metro, bus, tram…).
Nevertheless, these regulation strategies are developed “collectively”: the young people act in solidarity and share out the roles. One will stock up on alcohol, the other will serve it… Some will even take on the role of “bodyguard” by not consuming alcohol and watching over the others. The figure of “Sam” is also present: a person is often automatically designated to stay sober and drive.
A greater ability to “take care of others”
Another gendered behavior: according to the researchers, young girls voluntarily reduce their alcohol consumption in order to take care of those who “lose control”.
“Within the group of friends, the registers of protection also appear to be strongly gendered since young girls have a greater tendency to control their drunkenness in order to control those of others.report the two authors of the study.
During parties, some become “nurses” to others – mainly boys – by taking on the responsibility of protecting them from themselves (accidents, physical or verbal violence and other “internal risks”).
They also help sick people to lie down, bring them water, food, store alcohol or stay with those who are vomiting to prevent them from choking, observe the experts.
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38% of girls drink alcohol regularly
The survey also showed a change in consumption “significant occasional alcoholism” in men and women.
Clearly, nearly 56% of boys and 36% of girls had reported heavy occasional alcohol consumption during the month in 2005, compared to 50% and 38% respectively in 2017.
This trend does not, however, preventmaintenance of gender stereotypes“, say the experts.