Drunk Sex...Or Rape?

What happens when alcohol takes over your judgment and ability to protect yourself? Two women share their stories of how drinking over the limit has resulted in a lifetime of regret.

- SC Ho

Joanne, 37*, was working abroad for two years where she enjoyed the life of a carefree single woman partying and drinking most nights... until it went out of control.

I had always wanted to live abroad – away from my parents and basically start a new life in a city where nobody knew me. So when I had the opportunity to move to Hong Kong for a two-year work stint, I immediately said yes, packed my bags, and left for an adventure.

I didn’t know anyone in the city so a friend back home got me in touched with Tim* who was also working there. Soon we started hanging out after work and I met his friends too who were like me, living alone in a city working a stressful job. All we wanted to do after work was have a drink or two to unwind.

But it didn’t just stop at one or two drinks – there were many Friday nights and weekends where we would go on a bender. It was too easy for me – I didn’t have to answer to anyone and I was literally left to my own devices. For someone with this newfound freedom, it wasn’t always good news: I drank too much, often to the point where I would be stumbling back home and some mornings waking up with no recollection of what happened the night before.

Looking back now, I think I was lonely and unsure of myself so drinking made me forget about the whole situation for a while. Plus, Tim was paying more attention to me and that made me feel good. I wasn’t interested in him; I just liked having a guy around as I had been single for a long time. There were some nights where we would make out after drinking but because we’d be so drunk, we’d both pass out before anything could happen.