Aftermath of Child Sexual Abuse of African American and White American Women: The Victim's Experience

• NCJ Number: 123894
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1990) Pages: 61-81
• Author(s): G Wyatt
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): RO1 MH33603; K01 MH00269
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This study, involving a multi-stage stratified probability sample of 126 African American and 122 white American women examines the aftermath of child sexual abuse in terms of initial and lasting effects and the impact of aftermath on these two ethnic groups.

Abstract

The women's age, education, marital status, children, and current income were examined by ethnicity with chi square tests; none of these characteristics was associated with women's abuse histories. The Wyatt Sex History Questionnaire was used to obtain data regarding the participants' consensual and abusive sexual experiences from childhood to adulthood and the lasting effects of these experiences. African American and white American women do not differ significantly in response to abuse incidents. The findings suggest that victim responses need to be examined in relation to the circumstances of abuse and the amount of coercion rather than ethnicity. While victims of abuse tended to tell no one about the incident, and there was no significant ethnic difference in reporting, African American women were slightly less likely to report to nuclear family members and police. The findings fail to reveal significant differences between ethnic groups for reasons of nondisclosure, which are categorized as internal and external. African American women were more likely to cite fear of consequences as their reason for nondisclosure, while white American women more often reported fear of blame. No significant difference between ethnic groups was found regarding short-term effects of abuse. However, significantly more African American women reported avoiding men who resembled the perpetrator as a lasting effect of their experience. Finally, there was no significant difference between groups regarding their thoughts on what contributed to their victimization. In order to assess the aftermath of child sexual abuse, the professional must consider three factors: the circumstances of the incident, aspects of the abuse incident, and other reactions to the abuse related to the victim's ethnicity and cultural background. 3 tables, 67 references. (Publisher abstract modified)