Adult Sexual Revictimization Among Black Women Sexually Abused in Childhood: A Prospective Examination of Serious Consequences of Abuse

• NCJ Number: 181616
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2000 Pages: 49-57
• Author(s): Carolyn M. West Ph.D.; Linda M. Williams Ph.D.; Jane A. Siegel Ph.D.
• Editor(s): Mark Chaffin
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-CA-1406; 5-T32-MH15161
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study involved a prospective investigation of adult sexual revictimization among 113 black women with documented histories of child sexual abuse.

Abstract

Purposes of the study were to obtain information on the frequency of sexual abuse in both childhood and adulthood and to determine which characteristics of child sexual abuse predicted revictimization. Study participants were drawn from a sample of 206 victims of child sexual abuse who were examined in the emergency room of a large city hospital between 1973 and 1975. The women were located in 1990 or 1991 and were reinterviewed face-to-face. Thirty percent of participants were revictimized and physical force predicted subsequent victimization. An examination of possible sexual behavior correlates of revictimization showed revictimized women reported more involvement in prostitution and partner violence. When compared to women abused in childhood only, revictimized women experienced more problems conceiving, repeated vaginal infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and painful intercourse. Suggestions for intervention are discussed. An appendix describes victimization variables. 37 references and 4 tables