More Liquor Stores Mean More Violence

(November 5, 2008) - Domestic violence appears to be higher in areas that have large numbers of liquor stores along with bars and restaurants. (Read about "Violence & Abuse")

Researchers know that the number of alcohol outlets in a given geographic area, referred to as alcohol-outlet density (AOD), is associated with a number of adverse health and social consequences. A new study of the relationship between AOD and intimate partner violence (IPV) - both male-to-female partner violence (MFPV) and female-to-male partner violence (FMPV) - has found that MFPV is more likely in neighborhoods where more alcohol is sold through liquor stores, bars, restaurants and other drinking places.

Researchers matched up records of alcohol-outlet data with records on domestic violence. Results will be published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

"Until now we did not know that community alcohol environments could be related to IPV," said Paul J. Gruenewald, one of the researchers. "With this study we get the first indication that, at least for men, greater availability of alcohol from bars and other on-premise drinking places may be linked to domestic violence. This is a troubling observation because drinking at bars, for example, has also been linked to greater rates of child abuse and other forms of violence in our communities."

"We found that as alcohol availability increases, the more likely it is that couples will experience MFPV," said Christy McKinney, corresponding author for the study. Specifically, an increase of 10 alcohol outlets per 10,000 persons was associated with a 34-percent increased risk of MFPV.

Related Information:

    Alcoholism