NCJ Number
160270
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 19 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1995) Pages: 1401-1421
Date Published
1995
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Data from a national random sample of 2,000 children aged 10-16 years revealed that experience of prior sexual or nonsexual victimization increased children's risk for experiencing later child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Data were collected by means of telephone interviews. The analysis revealed that prior victimization predicted subsequent child sexual abuse even when the analysis controlled for background variables, including sex, race, age, geographic location, the quality of relationship with the parents, and the relative level of violence in the home community. In addition, the prior victimization of a family member also predicted later child sexual abuse. Among children who experienced sexual abuse, prior victimization increased the level of post-traumatic stress symptoms, even after demographic and episode characteristics such as assault severity and injury severity were included in the model. Results suggested that prior victimization is a factor that educators who design child sexual abuse prevention and mental health professionals who counsel child victims of sexual abuse should address. Tables and 52 references (Author abstract modified)