New research shows increase in teenage girls drinking alcohol in SA

A new survey has revealed that alcohol consumption is increasingly common among teenage girls, largely due to peer pressure and social norms.

"What we found is it's very complex. Young women are living in communities where alcohol is just so normalised. It's almost an expected social behaviour. Young women see drinking all around them. They see drinking at events. They may be traditional events, birthday parties, funerals, or traditional ceremonies. South African culture is steeped in alcohol use. They see their parents drinking. It's this social modelling that they see around them.

"Young people themselves drink to be cool. They see their social influencers drinking. So, it's this kind of social expectation that alcohol use is normalised. And, unfortunately, it means that alcohol use amongst adolescents and young people in this country, and particularly young women, is actually increasing," explained Dr Zoe Duby, a socio-behavioural researcher at the South African Medical Research Council.

Duby, who conducted the research, said teens are easily accessing alcohol despite age restrictions, often turning to older peers or family members to obtain drinks.

"The young women we spoke to said, even where there are alcohol restrictions, often, especially in communities where there are unlicensed drinking establishments, shebeens, taverns, the alcohol age restrictions aren't very strictly enforced. But young women also find ways around them. They say they put on makeup; they dress in a particular way to look older."

"Young women are often bought drinks by older men as a sort of transactional relationship. So, it's very easy for young women to access alcohol. We had someone say, 'We do whatever we can to get it'. So, that's really the reality of it."

Duby warned that this trend carries serious risks, including impaired decision-making, unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancies, and higher exposure to unsafe situations.

She emphasised the need for a multi-pronged approach, combining policy, social campaigns, and safe community spaces, to shift youth culture so that choosing not to drink is seen as 'cool' rather than socially isolating.

To listen to Duby in conversation with 702's Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: