Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Revictimization With Women of Color

Abstract

Clinical researchers examining the long-term consequences of child molestation have reported that female survivors of child sexual abuse experience a higher risk of sexual assault as adults. However, very little literature has focused on the child and/or adult sexual victimization of women from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds. In examining the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse, this investigation examined the rates of sexual revictimization of women of color. A multiethnic (white, African-American, Latina, and Asian-American) sample of 243 women, recruited and randomly selected from a pool of volunteers from two community colleges, were administered extensive clinical interviews. Nearly two thirds of the women who reported rape as an adult had a history of child sexual abuse, while approximately one third of the nonvictimized women had a child sexual abuse history. Additionally, an examination of the rates of adult rape within each ethnic group revealed differences between the women with and without a history of child sexual abuse. Significant differences (i.e., higher rates of rape associated with a prior history of child sexual abuse) were found for white women, African-American women, and Latinas, but not for Asian-American women. The results of this investigation highlight the relationship between child sexual abuse and adult rape and suggest the need for researchers to take a broader cultural context in which to view sexual victimization.

Revictimization: Advancing Theory and Method

“…African American, White, and Latina women reporting CSA were significantly more likely to report adult rape; however, this relation was not found for Asian American women (Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones, 1994). Merrill et al (1999) also found that CSA predicted rape for African American, white, and Latina women; however, CPA predicted rape only for African American women.…”

“…A review of individual studies suggest that between 16% and 72% of women who experience CSA are revictimized (Messman & Long, 1996). Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones (1994) found that rates of revictimization varied for different ethnic groups, such that 61.5% of African American who reported CSA also reported rape, while 44.2% of Whites and 40% of Latinas who reported CSA also reported rape. Merrill et al (1999), however, did not find differing rates of revictimization for African American, White, and Latina women.…”

“…Maker (2001), comparing revictimization rates in a sample of 126 college students, found that 66% of those who had experienced CSA reported being sexually assaulted after age 16, while 38% of those who did not report CSA were sexually victimized after age 16. Across a diverse sample of 243 community college women, 64.9% of the women who reported adult rape also reported CSA, while 35.1% of the women who did not report adult rape also reported CSA (Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones, 1994).…”

Nudity as a Disinhibiting Cue in a Date Rape Analogue

“…In community population samples, it is black women who are most at risk of sexual aggression (Abbey et al, 1996;Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones, 1994); however, in college and university samples, white women are found to be most at risk (Kalof, 2000;Koss et al, 1987;Mills & Granoff, 1992). And still yet, Bohn (2003) provides data that suggest Native American women are most at risk.…”

Ethnic Differences in Sexual Victimization and Revictimization Among Female U.S. Navy Recruits: A Prospective Study

“…Some studies have found that African American women report significantly higher rates of CSA compared with White, Hispanic, or Asian-American women (Scott, Lefley, & Hicks, 1993;Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones, 1994), and that White women report CSA at significantly higher rates than Hispanic or Asian-American women (Urquiza & Goodlin-Jones, 1994).…”