Murder trial of UVA lacrosse player highlights rampant alcohol abuse on our college campuses
Yeardley Love (AJC File)
If you’ve been following the trial of George Huguely V, the University of Virginia lacrosse star accused of the beating death of his girlfriend and fellow UVA lacrosse player Yeardley Love, you probably have read the testimony about how drunk he was and how much drinking was part of the campus scene.
The Baltimore Sun has a good piece addressing this issue, noting that Huguely “had been arrested twice for drinking-related infractions, one of them violent, in his early 20s. And he admits to consuming at least 15 drinks — and likely had more, witnesses said — the day he confronted Yeardley Love at her off-campus apartment in 2010, assaulting her so severely she later died, according to prosecutors.”
Many of you will maintain that drinking has always been common in college, but the research shows a rise in binge drinking and alcohol-related deaths of young people. According to alcohol surveys and government data, 1,700 college students die in alcohol-related accidents each year and 599,000 suffer injuries because of drinking. Alcohol is reported as a factor in 97,000 sexual assaults and date rapes.
Two passages in the well-done Baltimore Sun story are worth discussing. One is a quote from Mike Gimbel, who runs a substance abuse education program for athletes and Maryland students. The story says that Gimbel gave a presentation at Love’s former high school, the Notre Dame Preparatory School, after her death.
Here is Gimbel’s quote: “For the first time in my career, I’m advising parents not to send their kids off to college, because it’s nothing but a big party.”
Another thought-provoking passage in the story deals with drinking among student athletes:
Studies, including a 2001 examination by the Harvard School of Public Health, have shown that athletes tend to drink more than their non-athlete peers and to experience more negative effects. And among athletes, lacrosse players are among the biggest partiers, according to a National Collegiate Athletic Association report published this year looking at substance use among college athletes. The report was based on responses to the association’s 2009 survey of 20,474 student athletes in 23 championship sports.
The survey found that male and female lacrosse players are more likely than any other kind of athlete to take amphetamines like Adderall, which many at U. Va., including Love, were prescribed for attention deficit disorder. And roughly 95 percent of the country’s male lacrosse players drank, the study claimed. Among women players, 85 percent consumed alcohol.
Both Love and Huguely were lifelong lacrosse players, and they traveled among a tight-knit crew of other athletes, many of whom grew up together in the same Mid-Atlantic prep school circles.
From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
48 comments Add your comment
Does Binge Drinking cause Murder ? GM
February 20th, 2012
2:04 pm
I read this story with a broken heart too. Certainly, binge drinking is a problem everywhere, not just at college but does binge drinking equal murder? Would this criminal have murdered his girlfriend if he wasn’t binge drinking? We can’t be sure.
What we can be sure of is that abuse of women by their male lovers, boyfriends and husbands is a problem regardless of whether alcohol is involved.
We need to take the so-called “domestic-violence” epidemic as seriously as we do binge-drinking. I heard a lot of anti-drinking messages in college but rarely ever was there an anti-beating message by your male boyfriend message around campus. and when ever do men get the message from anywhere that beating your girlfriend is not OK. We just don’t have those kinds of messages at college. Women adn men aren’t told how to look for the signs of a potential abuser and schools often cover up the crimes of their male athletes.
Ms. Yeardley may have died at the hands of her boyfriend whether drinking was involved or not.
skipper
February 20th, 2012
2:12 pm
Sounds crazy, and I am so sorry that this happened to this youg lady. However, when the age was 18 there were not nearly as many instances like this. In college upon orientation, our RA helped put together a keg party in a “get to know ya” effort. No one was hurt. 21 has driven it underground, made it taboo, and therefore more daring to do! Should it still be eighteen?????? Tickets at UGA for underage drinking while the ‘78 Pandora had “The favorite sport at UGA is not football” and showed all kinds of drinks? I’m just sayin’……….
GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
February 20th, 2012
2:16 pm
Trace the rise in binge drinking and alcohol abuse to the increase of the drinking age to 21 about thirty years ago. If alcohol is treated as taboo, kids want to partake even more.
GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
February 20th, 2012
2:17 pm
Hey Skipper…we think alike!
Beverly Fraud
February 20th, 2012
2:22 pm
I wonder if the DARattler poster will show up asking why more isn’t made of the obviously destructive aspects of “lacrosse culture” as were made during the debate on “marching band culture”?
I dare say there appear to be similarly destructive tendencies in both.
skipper
February 20th, 2012
2:32 pm
@GM,
Its so blatantly obvious, isn’t it? There were not nearly the number of incidents previously! Of course there were parties, etc. and occasionally the bad head, but not nearly as crazy as today. Go back to 21, and watch and see!
Beverly Fraud
February 20th, 2012
2:40 pm
On a side note, looks like the New York Times is in FULL SCALE “revisionist history” mode concerning the former superintendent they practically FAWNED over, even in the midst of THE largest cheating scandal in United States educational history.
Suffice to say, they have decidedly nicer things to say about Errol Davis.
Of course Bernie Madoff could have followed the previous superintendent and STILL been described as “a breath of fresh air”.
GM is not GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
February 20th, 2012
2:42 pm
I am GM.
Also occassionally known as Good Mother/Good Mom/Good Ma..
I am not GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU.
So whoever is calling themselves “GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU” will you please clarify who you are?
I don’t want our identities confused — you might incorreclty get some of the angry comments that were inteneded for me.
GM
GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
February 20th, 2012
3:01 pm
I have been who I say I am for the past year or so. I don’t change my name on this blog.
Dr. Proud Black Man
February 20th, 2012
3:04 pm
Lee, carlosgv, et al, what’s this, no posting about the alcohol laced lacrosse culture that led to this murder? Predictable…
GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
February 20th, 2012
3:10 pm
You are right Skipper.
The incessant infantilization and coddling of teens and those in their early 20’s drives me crazy. You get what you expect to get from people. If something is less forbidden, it is less desirable.
carlosgvv
February 20th, 2012
3:11 pm
When I lived in a fraternity house, most of the students drank like fish. Not a night went by that I didn’t see someone throwing up in the hall or bathroom. Most mornings, the hall was littered with beer cans. However, no one ever killed anyone. This was in the early 60’s. It’s always easy to think things are worse now than in the past.
Pluto
February 20th, 2012
3:16 pm
I think the case has been made that the “kids” coming from high school are hardened drinking pros. This behavior has been in the making for some time when they get to college. I was at UGA from 1978 to 1982 when 18 was the legal age and Lord knows we had our share of boozing going on BUT never did we end the night with a death. Kids put too much emphasis on growing up too quickly in our culture and obviously drinking is a right of passage. I wonder if prescription drugs were involved as well. Now there’s a real combination. I heard students at my high school talking about attending a “pharm” party, of course my mental image was a farm party maybe in a barn with Lynyrd Skynyrd blaring and a keg or something. Boy was I naive; they bring a handful of pills from mom’s stash and put them in a bowl where the partiers then grab a handful and party the night away with additional booze. And I thought I was dumb in the 70’s?
carlosgvv
February 20th, 2012
3:17 pm
Dr. Proud Black Man
See my answer above. Why would you think I’d blame an “alcohol laced lacrosse culture” ????????
Hillbilly D
February 20th, 2012
3:28 pm
Given the overall trend towards narcissism in our society, in the last 3-4 decades, this isn’t really surprising.
Atlanta Mom
February 20th, 2012
3:35 pm
I have talked to my college age kids about drinking and it’s very confusing. No one seems to drink to just get a buzz on, or make socializing a little easier. They drink with the goal of getting stupid drunk. The good news is, my kids saw enough of this in high school, realized it is not attractive nor are the drinkers half as funny as they believe they are.
Drinking mores have clearly changed in the past 30 years.
To Beverly Fraud
February 20th, 2012
3:51 pm
If you are going to post an off topic comment, please at least provide the link so that we can see what you are talking about (NY Times and Bev Hall)…
…and although I usually scoff at off topic comments, your closing line was so pee-in-my-pants-funny that i completely forgive you .
You said “Of course Bernie Madoff could have followed the previous superintendent and STILL been described as “a breath of fresh air”.”
mwa hahahahaha….love it.
gm
To GM of 1st/last codeidentity...huh?
February 20th, 2012
4:01 pm
You wrote “I have been who I say I am for the past year or so. I don’t change my name on this blog.”
OK, I am GM. I’ve been posting for a year or so too — so at least can you tell us what all the acronyms stand for?
What is GM?
What is IST @ CCDOE
What is in GMU?
General Manager?
1st what?
CC? City councilman of Department of Edcucation at GM (Generous Michigan University?)
OK, I am being silly but will you please tell us what the acronyms stand for?
Thanks GM (Good Mother)
Atlanta Mom
February 20th, 2012
4:09 pm
New York Times link http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/education/scarred-by-cheating-scandal-atlanta-schools-are-on-the-mend.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Feducation%2Findex.jsonp
Anonmom
February 20th, 2012
4:16 pm
I think one of the worst aspects of it all is that when the kids get really sick from alchol poisoning from the underaged drinking, they are having trouble getting help for the sick kids. One of my oldest’s closest friends called me late at night a few months ago… he had been at one of these parties at KSU — the kids are around 20 now — about 12 of them were there supposedly — one boy really needed help. The friend stayed with the kid needing help for the ambulence to arrive. Half the group left and the other half stayed. While waiting for the ambulence, police also came… they received their gift… tickets for underaged drinking (they should have declined to take the breathlizers). Other states have amnesty laws for these situatons (I’ve written legislators). I have a friend in NJ, her daughter has a friend who needed to take a year off from CMU (In Pittsburgh) — he fell down some stairs and the frat bros didn’t get him help — he sustained very serious head trauma. A story on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago featured a death at a frat house party. I’m all for the drinking age being 18 (I was against it going up to 21 in the first place… “SOS” “Save our Students” I had buttons — I was part of the crew who just missed being legal — I say 16 drinking age and drive at 21 … make driving the ‘big deal”….). This is sikening.
yes i am worried
February 20th, 2012
4:34 pm
The lacrosse culture is part of the problem.
There is no doubt on certain campuses that Lacrosse players feel above the rules, etc. Is that what happened here? No way to really know.
The high school he came from had significant drug and alcohol issues. (Private school) And lacrosse was elevated to a nearly religious institution status.
C from Marietta
February 20th, 2012
4:48 pm
The problem is with the murderer. When are we going to take responsibility for our actions and NOT blame someone or something else. I attended probably a hundread parties in college. We all drank ALOT and no one killed themselves or others. Let’s make alchol illegal then. Oh wait we tried that.
Come On AJC
February 20th, 2012
4:52 pm
Here is Gimbel’s quote: “For the first time in my career, I’m advising parents not to send their kids off to college, because it’s nothing but a big party.”
——
I guess you also better advise them not to get in a car. Does anybody else hate when people make radical statements that have little merit or sense behind them?
Yankee Prof
February 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
I’ve lost students to alcohol poisoning, to accidental alcohol/drug reactions, and to alcohol-fueled stupidity (drunken gunplay). I can count them on one hand, but it’s still more counting than I’d like to do on this subject. I remember each one, even if they weren’t all that memorable beforehand.
I keep wanting to make some kind of point from there. But maybe that’s point enough.
CCF
February 20th, 2012
5:11 pm
I am sorry but for anyone who has been keeping up with this trial, you should agree that George Huguely is not guilty of first degree or even 2nd degree murder.
It is a very sad thing that happened to Yeardley Love. But there are many people to blame for her death. Not to mention, she might of never beat him up, but there are stories time after time leading up to what happened where she hit him or said nasty things to him. Those around George kept saying how they wanted to talk to him about his drinking problems, but never found the right time. When is there actually a right time to tell someone you think they have a problem?! That sounds like someone who feels a little guilty and knows they should of done something sooner. What about the friends who saw the email from George to Yeardley saying “I should of killed you”… Why would you not report that right away.
Sadly, if George Huguely does not get involuntary manslaughter, TWO young lives are ruined because no one stepped in and said you two both have drinking and anger issues with each other and with yourselves and you need to not see each other.
(They were together on video hugging, kissing, holding hands, and went home with each other the night before Yeardley was killed)
Everyone around the situation is to blame for Yeardley Love’s death, every person that never said a word, never stood up and said this needs to stop, and every person who turned a blind eye to George’s drinking problem.
I know many will not agree with my point of view and that is fine. But everyone needs to realize that if he gets off and does not get life in jail it is because one he does not deserve it and two the defense did their jobs!!
Old timer
February 20th, 2012
5:30 pm
Young people just make such poor choices. I do agree with the poster that the driver’s permit ought to be the big thing. Raise the age, require a difficult written and driving test, and make it cost. Maybe by 21 those drivers will be careful with the selves and others.
Also, I wonder….do European countries where drinking is more open,have the same culture of drinking in colleges and even high school? I have never seen drunken teens while traveling.
Shar
February 20th, 2012
5:57 pm
My daughter has a good friend who attends McGill, Canada’s premier university which is located in Montreal and where the drinking age is 19. She reports far fewer over-the-top drinking parties than what she hears about at the US campuses their mutual friends go to, including UGA. My daughter also just got back from a semester at the UGA program in Oxford, England, where the drinking age is 18. The students go to pubs and certainly drink their pints, but again the culture seems to frown upon reaching the level of ’sick drunk’ that seems to be either inherently amusing or an actual goal at parties here.
These experiences may not correlate to what could be expected among all students at US campuses if the drinking age were lowered, however, as both groups of kids are attending highly competitive programs and are significantly more studious (possibly verging into nerdy) than the norm, which usually means less party-hearty.
Getting stupid-drunk on a frequent basis is a good indicator of immaturity, and it certainly loosens inhibitions and fosters inappropriate behavior, but I don’t think it is necessarily an indicator of violence. George Hugely had orders of protection taken out against him by more than one previous girlfriend. He used physical threats and followed through with drunken fights. He told Love he ’should have killed her’ and then he did so. He may have drunk alcohol with a view towards excusing his violence, but the thousands of stupid college kids vomiting in bushes every weekend all over the country do not go break down other people’s doors and kill them. This guy is a killer, and his alcoholism is only tangential to his abusive behavior.
bu2
February 20th, 2012
6:27 pm
Fraternities killing pledges by alcohol poisoning has been going on for decades. There’s nothing new about it. It happened when the drinking age was 18. It happens at 21. Kids (and the unfortunates they ran into) dying in drunk driving accidents happened a lot more when the drinking age was 18. Highway deaths are way down since that time.
Renee
February 20th, 2012
6:51 pm
Many in ‘the circle’ knew that George had a violent and abusive personality, including his parents, but for some reason, that was OK because he was an athlete? i agree with someone above who said that this couple were in a very abusive relationship and no one ever stepped in, but when you are young, you don’t think anything bad will ever happen. Domestic violence has to stop. As for college drinking, it happens and will always happen, however, kids make the choice of who they hang out with. I was never in a sorority and never wanted to be in the hard partying crowd. That was MY choice.
bootney farnsworth
February 20th, 2012
9:21 pm
increasing on campus violence and too much drinking are very different issues.
seems the issue here is the worsening of the culture of the athlete.
jocks and greeks can do anything they wish.
yuzeyurbrane
February 20th, 2012
9:22 pm
The Ga. legislature has the solution at the advice of the NRA. Let’s legalize guns on campus so the sober kids can blow away the drunks.
Pink
February 20th, 2012
9:57 pm
Oh, that poor rich angel was influenced by the evil alcohol. He’s not evil like those poor people. Poor people are as violent as they come. Rich people are only violent when they get a hold some bad hooch. mm mm mm What a shame. Oh well, that’s what expensive lawyers are for. He’ll be okay.
Lee
February 20th, 2012
10:22 pm
I know this is an opinion blog, but come on Maureen, is a couple of minutes on Google too much to ask….
This case does not “highlight rampant alcolhol abuse on college campuses”, but rather, the dangers of an abusive relationship.
“…the day he confronted Yeardley Love at her off-campus apartment in 2010, assaulting her so severely she later died…”
He didn’t “confront” Ms Love. He went there around midnight and kicked in a locked door. She was in bed asleep.
“…George Huguely V, the University of Virginia lacrosse star accused of the beating death of his girlfriend…”
She was not his “girlfriend”. She was his EX-girlfriend, most likely she broke it off the last time he got drunk and strangled her. She also apparently had moved on, as one of the things that set him off was that she was seeing another guy.
——————–
Trying to tie this tragic episode in with college students drinking takes away from the base line of this story, which is an emotionally unstable, abusive ex-boyfriend who killed his ex-girlfriend in a jealous rage.
There are countless men who have gotten knee walking drunk who still would never dare lay a hand on a woman. The inner emotional unstability was always there for Mr Huguely the Fifth, alcohol is merely the excuse.
————————-
P.S., I never trust a guy with a surname past Jr. When they start getting up there to number IV and V, their eyes start getting a little too far apart, if you know what I mean…
mountain man
February 21st, 2012
6:35 am
What is interesting is that I was at UGA in the late 70’s (party school) and there was not a binge drinking issue when the drinking age was 18. Now the drinking age is 21 and there is a binge drinking problem. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Dr. Craig Spinks/Georgians for Educational Excellence
February 21st, 2012
7:01 am
Read Tom Wolfe’s “I Am Charlotte Simmons” and “Hooking Up.”
DwayneL
February 21st, 2012
9:16 am
I drank during my college years and never did I think of killing anyone! Quit trying to make this an alcohol related issue when it’s not. This kid obviously had anger issues and needed help.
Negatory to the Lowest Common Denominator
February 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Have you read The Five Year Party? Here is a link: http://www.thefiveyearparty.com/
“Party schools operate more like adolescent resorts than higher education institutions. Students are pampered with five-star residences and gourmet food courts, but education is strictly optional. Students get away with doing as little work as possible while still earning A’s and B’s. Half of the freshmen class drops out before graduation.
“The Five-Year Party” unravels the mystery of why so many of our colleges have become so dysfunctional. The book helps parents determine which colleges are party schools, and includes recommendations for the reforms necessary to restore rigor to these colleges’ programs and put education ahead of entertainment on their agendas.”
John
February 21st, 2012
9:39 am
Why don’t parents grow a pair and teach their kids HOW to drink responsibly while they are growing up? Having wine with meals and during celebratory events is a good start. The current puritanical approach of total abstinence until the arbitrary age of 21 when they are coincidentally out on their own for the first time is what leads to the situation we have now. The kids are having to teach themselves how to drink while on campus. You shall reap what you sow. BTW, I grew up when the drinking age was 18 and there was an understanding that if you could get drafted and fight for your country and possibly get killed, you were old enough to drink.
V for Vendetta
February 21st, 2012
10:25 am
Lee,
Haha! The end of your post cracks me up. (I agree, too.) This was an abusive bastard to begin with. Drinking only made the problem worse, but it didn’t cause the problem.
Hmmm, perhaps it’s time to lower our archaic drinking age. I visited Australia when I was in high school where the drinking age is 18, and their students were not nearly as obsessed with binge drinking as we were.
To John from GM
February 21st, 2012
10:30 am
You ask a good question “Why don’t parents grow a pair and teach their kids HOW to drink responsibly while they are growing up? Having wine with meals and during celebratory events is a good start.”
The anser is ….because it is illegal. In the US, you can lose custody of your child and go to jail for giving your children alcohol. By age 21, the kids are usually out of the house and away at college — not around to teach them.
…but perhaps what you really mean is…for we adults to drink responsibly ourselves in front of our children. That’s an excellent point. I do drink in front of my children and when they ask me for a taste I tell them it is an adult-only drink. They never see me drunk because i don’t get drunk even when I am not with them.
So, if that is your point, I’d agree with you. Drink responsibly in front of your children. Show them how adults should behave with alchohol.
GM
Warrior Woman
February 21st, 2012
12:15 pm
@Beverly Fraud – What “lacrosse culture?” You have a single incident. It is apparently unrelated to lacrosse, as there have not even been any allegations that the sport had anything to do with the murder, unlike the repeated incidents with connections to FAMU band membership.
@Lee, Does Binge Drinking Cause Murder?, etc. – You are right. Drinking didn’t cause this. An abusive @!#$ caused this.
@John and Good Mother -According to http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html, The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21. States that did not comply faced a reduction in highway funds under the Federal Highway Aid Act…. It does not prohibit persons under 21 (also called youth or minors) from drinking. The term “public possession” is strictly defined and does not apply to possession for the following:
•An established religious purpose, when accompanied by a parent, spouse or legal guardian age 21 or older
•Medical purposes when prescribed or administered by a licensed physician, pharmacist, dentist, nurse, hospital or medical institution
•In private clubs or establishments
•In the course of lawful employment by a duly licensed manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer.
Many of the states that have chosen to specifically prohibit alcohol consumption by those under age 21 have a variety of exceptions. For example,
Some States allow an exception for consumption when a family member consents and/or is present. States vary widely in terms of which relatives may consent or must be present for this exception to apply and in what circumstances the exception applies. Sometimes a reference is made simply to “family” or “family member” without further elaboration.
…
Some States allow an exception for consumption on private property. States vary in the extent of the private property exception which may extend to all private locations, private residences only, or in the home of a parent or guardian only. In some jurisdictions, the location exception is conditional on the presence and/or consent of the parent, legal guardian, or legal-age spouse.
Some States also allow exceptions for educational purposes (e.g., students in culinary schools), religious purposes (e.g., sacramental use of alcoholic beverages), or medical purposes.
3schoolkids
February 21st, 2012
12:56 pm
Saying the alcohol didn’t contribute to his behavior is wrong. He may have had violent tendencies already, but add alcohol to the mix and you take away the protection of impulse control. You can say he might have killed her anyway, but he WAS drunk when he killed her.
Lowering the drinking age will not help as the current binge drinking culture is not limited to college students. Have you ever been to a concert? Have you ever been to a city sponsored festival where drinking alcohol is the focus? There is no challenge or taboo associated with under age drinking, it is way too easy to get it and it won’t even get you kicked out of most public colleges. We need to ask “why” when there is a prevalent college culture that seems to promote binge drinking and now even “legal” drug use such as inhalants and spice.
Archie@Arkham Asylum
February 21st, 2012
3:22 pm
@Pink: The philosopher who said “Money can’t buy happiness” never sat in an American courtroom!
Atlanta Mom
February 21st, 2012
5:56 pm
The drinking law in Georgia is that parents can give their children alcohol in the privacy of their own home.
Anonmom
February 21st, 2012
10:13 pm
it’s also okay to give alcohol to kids as part of religious holidays (Jewish Holiday/Sabbath, etc. have wine as part of the rituals — and, it’s not generally used to get drunk… although exceptions are found on Purim and Passover (a/k/a the Last Supper)).
Frankie
February 22nd, 2012
11:56 am
ATL MOM….that is not true…its called contributing to the deliquency of a minor. and child neglect.
Changingthe age of drinking to a lower age is stupid…most of the people who are 21 and older can’t handle the responsibility now so why lower the age….
If you sneek and drink it just shows the lack of maturity you have in the first place..
Binge drinking further shows how immature you are and irresponsible.
Ask the SC football player who now wants a shot to play in the NFL…after being suspended 5 times for alcohol related events – binge drinking…had he listened to his coach and family the FIRST TIME he would be participating in the COMBINE this week…
Frankie
February 22nd, 2012
12:05 pm
atl mom …i can admit when i am wrong and i just looked up the statued and it is perissible for a parent to serve alcohol to a person under 21..which further shows the irresponsibility of people and lawmakers….
Archie@Arkham Asylum
February 22nd, 2012
3:07 pm
I have been following the trial and the jury is deliberating. Word has it that the defendant told the police the victim “hit her own head against the wall.” And if you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you! What’s right is right and this guy hasn’t been right yet!