The impact of alcohol control policy on assaults and sexual assaults in Lithuania: An interrupted time-series analysis

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of the current study was to test the impact of three alcohol control policy enactments (in 2008, 2017 and 2018) on assaults and sexual assaults in Lithuania. The hypothesis tested was that alcohol control policy implementation is associated with a reduction in the occurrence of both assaults and sexual assaults.

Study design

An interrupted time-series analysis.

Methods

To estimate the unique impact of three alcohol control policies, interrupted time-series analyses were conducted. Three alcohol policy enactments, based on the World Health Organization “best buys” framework, and the following stringent criteria: (1) pricing policies had to have resulted in decreased affordability, defined in terms of the price of alcohol increasing at a higher degree than average disposable income; or (2) availability policies that aimed to reduce alcohol use for a large portion of the general population were selected for evaluation.

Results

The alcohol control policy implemented in 2017 was statistically significantly associated with a reduction of 29.9 % (exp(-0.35379)-1) in the rate of sexual assaults, after adjusting for the financial recession and COVID-19-related lockdowns and smooth functions of time.

Conclusions

Study provides evidence that alcohol control policies, particularly those focusing on major alcohol tax increases that reduces alcohol affordability can contribute to reducing rates of sexual assault. The current findings, along with the consistent evidence linking alcohol use to sexual violence, supports the need for comprehensive strategies for mitigating violence to include alcohol.