Child and adolescent sexual abuse history in a sample of 1,490 women sexual partners of injection drug-using men

Abstract

Subjects for this study were 1490 community-recruited women sexual partners of injection drug-using men who were interviewed in three U.S. cities during 1990-'92. Data were collected on respondents' childhood and adolescent sexual abuse history, identity of abuse perpetrators and duration of abuse. Over 56 percent of respondents reported a history of sexual victimization by age 18, including 39 percent who were abused before age 12 and over 53 percent who were victimized by abuse involving bodily contact by age 18. One in three women were victimized by unwanted penetration by age 18. White women more likely than African-American and Hispanic women to have been the victims of virtually every type of abusive act investigated here. Overall, nearly two out of three White women had experienced some form of sexual abuse by age 18, including almost 42 percent who were the victims of unwanted penetration by this age. Acts of forced sexual touching and penetration occurring in childhood were most likely to have been carried out by an uncle or other relative of the victim; family members were much less likely to be the perpetrators of adolescent contact abuse. Based on these findings, it appears that many in this special population of women are likely to be at substantial risk for some of the long-term effects of early life sexual abuse, including those that may reduce victims' ability to take preventive action against HIV risk. Recommendations are offered for those who function as caregivers to this population, including drug treatment personnel.