NCJ Number
75703
Date Published
1980
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The effects of childhood sexual victimization in a sample of 796 college students were studied.
Abstract
The survey was conducted at six New England colleges and universities in the fall and winter of 1977 and 1978. Sexual victimization was defined as experiences of children under age 12 with partners at least 5 years older and of 13 to 16 year olds with partners at least 10 years older. The results showed that 19 percent of the women and 9 percent of the men had experiences that fit these criteria. In 75 percent of the cases, the offenders were men known to the children; in the case of girls, about half were family members. Genital touching and fondling were the main activities, and a majority of the children did not tell anyone about their experiences at the time they occurred. Both the male and female victims were found to have significantly lower levels of sexual self-esteem. A regression analysis, including a number of background factors possibly related to sexual self-esteem and victimization, supported the primary finding. Further results showed that women who were victimized before the age of 13 were more likely to be victims of another forced sex experience later (32 percent of the child victims compared to 22 percent of the remaining sample). However, other variables may play a significant role. Finally, boys victimized by older men were over four times more likely to be currently engaged in homosexual activity than were nonvictims; almost half of these victims were currently involved in homosexual sex. Related studies are reviewed. Data tables, footnotes, and a 32-item bibliography are included.