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Alcohol Problems in the Family

Introduction:
My topic deals with the problems caused by alcohol in society.
Damage to homes, is clear that the alcohol problem affecting millions of families and more children

Topic
At least 4.5 million children in the European Union are living in families suffering from the effects of alcohol. The actual figure is almost certainly much higher, possiblyas great as 7.7 million.

These deeply worrying conclusions are drawn by the new report Alcohol Problems in the Family, the result of a joint project of Eurocare and Coface (Confederation of Family Associations in the European Union).

The report was launched at a press conference in Brussels in December, 1998, by Padraig Flynn, EU Commissioner. Commissioner Flynn said that he was very pleasedwith the contents of the report. "It sets out in a very clear and comprehensive manner the serious consequences for the family which result from alcohol abuse. This is a factor which is all too often overlooked in reports on problems associated with alcohol abuse.

"We are all aware of the statistics on road accidents and deaths associated with alcohol abuse. Similarly, we know of the problemsassociated with violence and crime. But, all too often, we overlook the important consequences for the family resulting from alcohol problems. And this report makes very disturbing reading in this respect."

A cautious estimate for the entire European Union shows that 14 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women report lifetime experience of alcohol abuse or dependence. This gives a figure of 42million Europeans having experienced alcohol problems for some period of their lives. Even if each of these drinkers adversely affected only one other person, that means that there are 84 million people in Europe either suffering from alcohol problems or afflicted by another's drinking. "In terms of sheer numbers this problem dwarfs the problems arising from illegal drugs," says the report.

Theworking party consisted of representatives of all Member States of the EU with the addition with Norway. The intention was to assess the scale of the problem and to find out what is being done, or not done, in member countries. Andrew McNeill, of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said, "It quickly became clear that this was a very difficult job, largely because of the shortage of hard information.It is known that alcohol is involved in a range of social and family problems such as domestic violence, divorce and family break-up, and behavioural problems in children, but the contribution of alcohol to these problems is not normally ascertained or recorded in official statistics."

The report states that more than "one third of problem drinkers receiving treatment cite marital conflict asone of the main problems caused by drinking. In the UK, the divorce rate is twice as high in marriages complicated by alcohol problems as in those without alcohol problems. Marital conflict may take a violent form, and there is much evidence to show that domestic violence and alcohol are often associated. While problem drinking is neither a necessary nor a sufficient cause of domestic violence,high proportions of perpetrators of domestic violence are either problem drinkers or under the influence of alcohol at the time of the assault. Equally, high proportions of victims of violence are also under the influence of alcohol at the time of the assault.

There also appears to be an association between problematic
drinking and child abuse, including incest. The connection between childabuse and alcohol abuse 'may take the form of alcohol abuse in parents or alcohol intoxication at the time of the abuse incident."
In the section on Families as a Cause of Alcohol Problems, the report says: "A UK study found that higher levels of alcohol consumption, heavy drinking and problem drinking were found for those who had experienced parental divorce in childhood. The increased risk...