Childhood Sexual Abuse and Dating Experiences of Undergraduate Women

• NCJ Number: 181615
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2000 Pages: 39-48
• Author(s): Victoria L. Banyard; Shanyn Arnold; Jennifer Smith
• Editor(s): Mark Chaffin
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Portions of article presented at the Fifth International Family Violence Research Conference, July 1997, Durham, New Hampshire.

Annotation

This study investigated the relationship between the experience of childhood sexual abuse and being a victim of psychological aggression, physical violence, or sexual coercion in a dating relationship in the past year.

Abstract

The study sample included 219 female undergraduates from introductory psychology classes at a medium-sized university. Questions were asked about child sexual abuse, dating violence, cognitive aspects of intimacy, and family environment. Child sexual abuse was significantly related to having experienced both physical and psychological dating aggression, even after controlling for the presence of conflict in the family of origin. Child sexual abuse was not significantly related to sexual coercion or reports of silencing oneself in relationships. 39 references and 2 tables