While the drink-driving message seems to be getting through to many people in regional and rural Victoria, new research also shows an increase in the masculine drinking culture.
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The research by La Trobe University’s Centre for Alcohol Policy Research and Vic-Health identified a growing concern of the “fitting in with the boys’ culture in rural settings was contributing to heavy drinking.
Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a night watching the footy or just a casual catch-up with mates, excessive alcohol consumption on a regular basis seems to be the norm.
Why is it some people feel the need to gauge a night’s success by the amount of alcohol consumed or how drunk they were? Is this the message we want to be sending our children? Do we want them to grow up thinking excessive amounts of alcohol each weekend is the norm?
Apart from the obvious health risks, binge drinking and regular excessive consumption of booze is recognised as a contributing factor to increases in family and street violence.
Surely the images portrayed on TV on a weekly basis of injuries sustained in a street fight during a drunken brawl on a Friday and Saturday night should be enough for most people to reconsider how much they drink?
Obviously not in regional and rural Victorian areas.
Lead researcher Claire Wilkinson said many study participants identified drinking at home was more common and concerning to them than drinking at a local venue.
“Several participants saw drinking at the pub or at home as one of the very few options for socialising, simply because of the lack of other cultural activities on offer,” Ms Willkinson said.
Interviewees also identified drinking in private homes and the take-away style drinking culture were more common and more concerning to them than drinking in regional and rural licensed venues
Positives to come out of the research include the fact participants realised drink-driving was unacceptable and a well-respected reason for choosing not to drink and many interviewees said they didn’t feel pressured if they chose not to drink in social setting.
VicHealth chief executive officer Jerril Rechter said reducing the social acceptability of risky drinking was key to changing the drinking culture in not only Victoria, but around Australia.
