Testing a Model of Binegativity, Drinking-to-Cope Motives, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Coercion Among Self-Identified Bisexual Women

In the present study, the authors tested a sequential mediation model whereby binegativity was associated with sexual coercion through drinking-to-cope motives and alcohol use. Data were examined from 224 self-identified bisexual women (M age = 22.79, SD = 3.44) who took part in an online survey. Participants reported binegativity, alcohol use, drinking-to-cope motivations, and sexual coercion experiences for the previous 30days. A total of 48.0% of the sample (n = 108) experienced sexual coercion in the past 30days. Sequential mediation indicated more experiences of binegativity were associated with greater drinking-to-cope motives, which in turn, related to greater alcohol frequency and greater likelihood of sexual coercion. Alcohol quantity was not a significant mediator. Results suggest the importance of studying the impact of binegativity on bisexual women, as well as developing prevention programs that consider how this form of discrimination may contribute to drinking-to-cope motives, more frequent alcohol use, and increased risk for sexual coercion.