Childhood Victimization and Subsequent Adult Revictimization Assessed in a Nationally Representative Sample of Women and Men

• NCJ Number: 199904
• Journal: Violence and Victims Volume: 17 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 639-653
• Author(s): Sujata Desai; Ileana Arias; Martie P. Thompson; Kathleen C. Basile
• Date Published: December 2002
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses whether experiences of childhood physical and/or sexual victimization would increase women’s and men’s risk for victimization in adulthood.

Abstract

Data from the National Violence Against Women Survey, a telephone survey, were used in this study. Risk for revictimization by different perpetrators was specifically assessed, and the hypothesis was that the risk for revictimization would be greater for those abused in childhood than those not, and that risk for revictimization by an intimate partner would be greater than by a non-intimate partner. The data included 8,000 women and 8,000 men, ages 18 and older, from November 1995 to May 1996. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used. The results demonstrated that both female and male child abuse victims were often at higher risk for adult physical or sexual victimization, and that the type of perpetrator played a significant role in women’s victimization but not men’s. Female child abuse victims were more likely to be physically victimized in adulthood by an intimate partner than by a non-intimate partner, but were more likely to be sexually victimized by a non-intimate partner than by an intimate partner. All childhood victimization experiences were significantly associated with men’s risk for adult physical and sexual victimization by any perpetrator. These experiences also increased men’s risk for adult physical victimization by an intimate partner. All childhood maltreatment variables were significantly associated with men’s risk for adult physical and sexual victimization by a non-intimate perpetrator. Experiencing childhood physical abuse significantly predicted men’s likelihood of experiencing adult physical victimization by a current intimate partner. Male child abuse victims were at risk for adult revictimization, but not by any particular type of perpetrator. These findings suggest that any type of childhood maltreatment increases the risk of revictimization in adulthood, for both women and men. 6 tables, 42 references