Violence in nightlife environments and its relationship with the consumption of alcohol and drugs among young Spaniards

Abstract<br/>Violence in nightlife environments (NE) is a rarely studied phenomenon. There is growing interest in determining its prevalence and its relationship with sociodemographic variables, drunkenness and drug use. A survey to 440 youngsters, selected by the respondent-driven sampling methodology, was conducted, and the inclusion criteria were: to go out regularly, and to use alcohol and/or illegal drugs. The survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands, Galicia and Comunidad Valenciana. During the past year and while going out at night, 5.2% of the youngsters carried weapons, 11.6% were attacked or threatened with a weapon and 23% got into a fight. Logistic regression revealed that the best predictor for the behaviour of carrying a weapon is polydrug use; whereas amongst those who had been threatened, it was being frequently involved in rows or arguments related to substance use; and for those involved in fights, it was being younger (14-18) and being frequently involved in rows or arguments related to substance use. There is a high prevalence of violent behaviors in NE. Prevention should take into account particularly the younger individuals, those who engage in polydrug use and those who often have fights and discussions related to drug consumption.