Youth aggression and alcohol

Youth violence takes many forms including bullying, gang violence, sexual aggression, and assaults occurring in streets, bars and nightclubs.

The victims and perpetrators alike are young people, and the consequences of youth violence can be devastating.

Across the world an average of 565 young people aged 10 to 29 die every day through interpersonal violence, with males at greater risk. 

The impact of youth violence reaches all sectors of society, placing huge strains on public services and damaging communities.

Reducing harmful alcohol use and violence among young people should thus be considered a priority for policymakers.

Alcohol use directly affects cognitive and physical function. Hazardous alcohol use can reduce self-control and the ability to process incoming information and assess risks, and can increase emotional lability and impulsivity, to make certain drinkers more likely to resort to violence.

Similarly, reduced physical control and ability to recognise warning signs in potentially dangerous situations.

Individual and societal beliefs about the effects of alcohol increase confidence and increase aggression as alcohol consumers prepare to involve in violence. 

Uncomfortable, crowded and poorly managed drinking venues contribute to increased aggression among drinkers. 

Alcohol and violence may be related through a common risk factor such as anti-social personality disorder that contributes to the risk of both heavy drinking and violent behaviour.

Alcohol and violence can be linked ritualistically as part of youth gang cultures.

Hazardous and harmful levels of alcohol use are key risk factors for intimate partner violence which can feature in relationships between young people. 

At a global level, uniform data for cross-national comparisons of youth alcohol consumption are scarce.

However, a range of international and regional surveys such as World Health Survey WHO global school-based student health survey, the European Schools Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs show levels and patterns of alcohol consumption vary widely between countries.

Thus, the World Health Survey shows abstinence rates among 18–24 year olds.

Levels of youth violence also vary widely between countries.

A wide range of factors have been identified that increase young people’s risks of becoming both victims and perpetrators of youth violence. Alcohol use itself a risk factor for involvement in youth violence.

However, in some countries harmful alcohol consumption has been associated with disproportionate increases in levels of violent behaviour among youth.

Males are more than females to be both perpetrators and victims of alcohol-related youth violence (23, 25).