NCJ Number
161605
Journal
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: (July- September 1995) Pages: 231-238
Date Published
1995
Length
8 pages
Annotation
An exploratory study examined the incidence and experience of childhood sexual abuse among chemically dependent women.
Abstract
Sixty recovering chemically dependent women living in a long-term treatment facility took part in structured interviews. Results revealed that 68 percent reported being recipients of unwanted sexual contacts from perpetrators such as uncles, brothers, fathers, family friends, neighborhood boys, and strangers. Results also revealed several significant differences between the drug-dependent women who had experienced child sexual abuse and those who had not. The abused women were more likely to have family members who were addicted, were more likely to be black, and were more likely to have been raped sometime in their life. In addition, they began using drugs at an earlier age than nonabused women and had been using drugs longer. Findings indicated that the issue of childhood sexual abuse in chemically dependent women needs to be assessed and treated if these women are to be able to begin the long road to recovery. Tables and 16 references (Author abstract modified)