Summary
- Alcohol impairs self-control, increases impulsivity, and can escalate conflicts—raising the risk of violent behavior in certain individuals.
- 30–40% of men and 27–34% of women involved in domestic violence incidents were drinking at the time; heavy drinkers are over 3.4× more likely to commit intimate partner violence.
- Risk factors include mental health issues, personality disorders, drinking mismatches between partners, and harmful beliefs about gender and violence.
- Alcohol may intensify existing abuse but doesn’t excuse it; people remain responsible for their actions while intoxicated.
- Help is available for both victims and perpetrators, including domestic violence hotlines, recovery programs, and community-based counseling and support services.
Alcohol doesn’t just come with potentially severe health consequences for the people who consume it. If you drink alcohol, it can also wreak havoc on your relationships and potentially put your loved ones at risk.
Not everyone who struggles with alcohol abuse is likely to commit domestic violence, but statistics suggest that alcoholism may be a factor that contributes to this risk. Below, we show you what the data says and provide information you can use to help yourself or a loved one break free from addiction.
To get help now, call our 24/7 national alcohol awareness hotline at (855) 955-0771. Someone on our end will put you in touch with effective recovery programs in your area.
How Alcohol Impairs Judgment & Increases Aggression
It’s normal to feel less inhibited after a few drinks—in fact, that’s one common reason why people consume alcohol in the first place. But this can have a darker side as well.
Alcohol blunts activity in brain regions responsible for self-control, decision-making, and impulse management—heightening emotion-driven behavior and aggression. This might make a person who drinks more prone to outbursts or overreactions that can escalate tense situations and turn them into open conflicts.
Acute intoxication also narrows your focus to immediate cues—which is sometimes referred to as “alcohol myopia”. This undermines your awareness of consequences for what you’re doing. If you’ve ever heard other people refer to alcoholic drinks as “liquid courage”, this is most likely what they mean.
However, this phenomenon may also fuel violent reactions in certain individuals or situations. Since it makes you more likely to react impulsively, you might be less likely to think about the way you respond to a conflict in advance and it could become easier to lose control.
Statistics on Alcohol-Related Domestic Violence
Although drinking does not always lead to domestic violence, it causes harm more frequently than you might think. Globally, approximately 43% of adults report experiencing some form of harm caused by another person’s drinking.
In this context, “harm” is quite broadly defined. It includes domestic violence and emotional abuse, but also encompasses other forms of harm like being forced to drink, needing to clean up after the drinker, or experiencing financial problems due to their drinking.
But even when focusing specifically on domestic violence, the numbers are cause for concern. Research has found that 30–40% of men and 27–34% of women involved in intimate partner violence were drinking alcohol at the time.
The amount you drink can influence this risk as well. Heavy drinkers—especially those with alcohol dependence—are over 3.4× more likely to commit intimate partner violence compared to non-drinkers.
Risk Factors & Co-Occurring Issues
According to the WHO, there are several factors that can drive up the risk of alcohol-related intimate partner violence. These include:
- Heavy or frequent drinking
- Poor mental health
- Antisocial personality disorder (particularly in men)
- Mistrust or relationship dissatisfaction
- Significant differences in alcohol consumption between partners
- Social beliefs regarding alcohol consumption, gender roles, and violent behavior
When men in relationships are the ones with drinking problems, any abuse that occurs tends to be either initiated by male partners or bidirectional (initiated by both partners). When women in relationships are the ones with drinking problems, the risk of violence does not appear to increase (although it can still create other problems).
Why Alcohol Is Not an Excuse for Abuse
Alcohol may lower inhibitions and raise aggression, but it does not create abusive tendencies in someone who otherwise wouldn’t use violence. However, research seems to suggest that alcohol can make violence in already-abusive relationships even worse.
This also means that a person who commits domestic violence while under the influence can’t “blame the alcohol” for their actions. If you hurt someone when you’ve been drinking, you remain morally and legally responsible for what you’ve done.
Conversely, if you have been the victim of domestic abuse by someone who has been drinking, it is imperative that you do not make excuses for them because of their alcohol consumption. Remember: abusers who deny their actions or blame them on outside influences are telling you that they are not willing to change—and that means you continue to be at risk for as long as you are around them.
Resources & Support for Victims & Perpetrators
Whether you are worried about being the victim of domestic violence due to someone else’s drinking or struggling with alcoholism yourself and worried about the way you might behave towards a loved one, there are programs and resources available that can help you and your partner find a safer path forward.
- Victims: Call the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1‑800‑799‑SAFE (7233) for immediate help.
- Perpetrators: Treatment programs for intimate partner violence exist—but since alcohol can drive up your risk to reoffend, it is also critical that you cut back on alcohol or stop drinking entirely. Abstinence could help you avoid making a decision you and your loved ones regret.
- Everyone: Local community services often offer counseling, shelters, legal aid, and comprehensive support for both survivors and those wanting to change.
And remember: if you need help for yourself or a loved one to stop drinking, Alcohol Awareness can help. Call our national 24/7 hotline now at 855-955-0771 to speak with someone on our team who can help you discover suitable recovery programs near you.