Cycle of sexual assault and women's alcohol misuse.

Purpose: To describe the complex relationship between sexual assault and alcohol misuse by female assault victims.

Data Sources: Drawing on recent research and theoretical models from other social sciences, the author interjects a nursing perspective for this complex patient problem.

Conclusions: This review of theories and models, and the evidence that supports them, provides a way for nurses to conceptualize the relationship between sexual victimization and alcohol misuse as bidirectional or reciprocal.

Implications For Practice: The evidence and models discussed here suggest that when patients present with sexual assault or alcohol misuse, nurses should assess and address the possibility of both conditions being present.