Occasionally, a study comes out that makes you wonder how the researchers got it funded. A new study out of La Trobe University was apparently authored by Captain Obvious. The Earthshattering finding? Alcoholism by husbands and fathers negatively affects their wives and children. The following is from ScienceDaily:
The study, titled “Harms to Women and Children from Men’s Alcohol Use: An Evidence Review and Directions for Policy,” draws together data from three recent systematic reviews that analyzed 78 academic papers.
Worldwide, as many as one in three women in some countries live with a partner who drinks heavily. Children in these households are also at greater risk of violence, neglect, poor health, and limited opportunities later in life.
In most countries men drink more than women. Some countries have a culture of heavy drinking where it is tolerated more than other countries. In countries with a culture of male domination, women have less ability to moderate their husband’s drinking.
These negative effects are especially severe in low- and middle-income nations and in places where gender inequality remains high.
As a result, women and children bear a disproportionate share of the consequences, including physical injuries, emotional distress, economic strain, and disruptions to schooling and family life.
“Women and children pay a heavy price, yet policies rarely take their experiences into account. This is a major gap in international public health and social policy.”
There is little to disagree with up to this point, but the analysis goes off the rails into Neverland. Basically, laws that are already used in many developed countries seem to work where they are enacted.
The review emphasizes that while proven policies such as raising alcohol taxes, restricting availability, and limiting marketing remain essential, they should be paired with interventions that tackle harmful gender norms and empower women and children.
Advanced countries tend to have more laws to curtail problematic alcohol consumption. Less developed countries where the harmful effects of alcoholism on families is more severe alcohol regulation is often lower. These are also countries where women have fewer rights and lower status. That is not an alcohol problem: it is a women’s rights problem.
Women played a significant role in the Temperance Movement precisely because of the negative externalities of alcoholism on families. Domestic violence was sometimes a result. The cost of alcohol came at the expense of other household essentials. Heavy alcohol consumption also reduced labor productivity, lost employment or sick days was another potential cost. Thus, women had an especially critical reason to advocate for prohibition.
Is Prohibition the answer? Some consider Prohibition of the 1920s a Noble Experiment. It was successfully promoted by women, church leaders, the rural population but opposed by urban and working-class men. Another reason some Americans supported Prohibition was a dislike of immigrants, many of which came from Europe after World War I. Most historians agree that Prohibition was a miserable failure that led to the rise of organized crime, corruption, and laws that still exist today. The Open Fields Doctrine came about due to Prohibition, allowing law enforcement to conduct warrantless searches if they could see into a field where a still might be operated.
An intersectoral approach involving health, legal and social services is critical for meaningful change.
It is not clear what they are talking about. Alcohol consumption is at a record low. Alcohol consumption is down globally, and it is mostly due to cultural changes. Only about half of Americans reported drinking in 2024 compared to about 70% in the late 1970s. More young people are deciding not to drink for health-conscious reasons. Increasingly, alcohol is seen nowadays as a health hazard. Prices for alcohol at bars and restaurants are high and many people work from home. The opportunity to meet friends at bars is less than in years past. GLP-1 drugs are also thought to reduce alcohol cravings, and people trying to lose weight should abstain from alcohol.
Law enforcement mechanism currently in place to protect women from domestic violence is important to negating the harmful effects of alcohol. Additional measures also seem to help, such as raising the legal age for alcohol purchases and enforcement against driving while intoxicated. It is not clear what else the authors of the study think needs to be done. Laws are already used with significant effect. The key seems to be greater education and a shift in cultural norms like occurred with tobacco smoking. Smoking went from an activity nearly half the population did 75 years ago to only 11% today, an 80-year low.
Read more at ScienceDaily: When men drink, women and children pay the price