Despite the University's increased focus on preventing binge drinking in recent years, there still is a need for more programs specifically targeting female students, Women's Center Director Sharon Davie said.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more alcoholic beverages in a row for women, or five or more drinks in a row for men.
Even though women are more vulnerable to the dangers associated with binge drinking, most alcohol abuse prevention is focused on men, Davie said.
"My perception is that the stereotype is that men drink a whole bunch more than women, and ... in the overall scheme of things, it seems men would be targeted more" in prevention programs, she said.
But roughly equal numbers of female and male students are treated for alcohol-related ailments at the Student Health Center, Director of Student Health James Turner said.
Because women react differently to alcohol than men, some alcohol education programs should be directed at women, Turner said.
"Women are less tolerant of alcohol, so they tend to get sicker sooner, so education effectively should be targeted specifically towards women," Turner said.
Despite women's unique needs, Davie said she did not know of any binge drinking prevention programs at the University designed especially for females.
But education is not necessarily the best way to prevent alcohol abuse by either gender, said Madeleine Chandler, Outpatient Psychiatry Services employee and registered nurse.
"Education doesn't often" prevent binge drinking, Chandler said. Students "do get education on the dangers of binge drinking, but it doesn't seem to help."
Alcohol abuse poses more severe safety threats to women than men, Davie said.
"There is a level of vulnerability and risk of sexual assault for women that is at a higher extreme" when women are drinking, she said.
Women also are more likely to experience feelings of guilt and shame about drinking problems, making them more susceptible to emotional and mental consequences associated with binge drinking, Chandler said.
The Women's Center has offered binge-drinking prevention programming in the past, but programs vary each semester.
The Women's Center does offer one-on-one counseling services to any student struggling with alcohol-related problems.
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