Gender Differences in Bar Violence

Bar violence is a serious issue, and its effects are borne unequally by both genders. While men are more likely to get involved in a bar fight than women, females are more likely to report sexual assault in a bar than men. These differences are further complicated by the role of alcohol, drugs and peer pressure.

Fighting

• Men are generally more likely than women to get involved in bar fights. According to a University of Buffalo study, 96 percent of men who reported having experienced bar violence were attacked by a male opponent. By contrast, 1/3 of physical aggression reported by women is sexual assault from a member of the opposite sex. According to a Department of Justice report, men are 50 percent more likely than women to be involved in a bar fight.

Sexual Assault

• There are significant differences between men and women when it comes to the experience of sexual assault in bars. According to a study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women are more likely than men to be the victims of sexual assault in bars. According to the same study, almost half of the physical assault experienced by women in bars is sexual in nature. According to a Department of Justice study that interviewed an equal number of men and women, 20 of the respondents reporting sexual assault were female while only three were male.

Observation

• Not all differences between the genders come down to types of violence. Some significant differences are seen between men and women in their odds of having observed violence, regardless of type. According to the University of Buffalo study, 50 percent of men reported observing bar violence while only 40 percent of women reported the same. According to this study, 27 to 34 percent of men claimed that the most serious violent incident they observed was in a bar, while only 13 to 24 percent of women reported the same.

Gender Norms

• The behavior of men and women in bar violence is influenced highly by gender norms. According to a study from South Africa, men are more likely than women to see violence as an acceptable way to resolve disputes. The tendency for men to be more affected by bar violence than women is in line with the general trend of men being involved in physical confrontations more frequently than women. According to a Department of Justice report by sociologist Philip Kavanagh, male behavior in bars and clubs is likely to be influenced by notions of "male honor" or "masculinity" that are not likely to influence women.