Child Sexual Abuse Revictimization: Child Demographics, Familial Psychosocial Factors, and Sexual Abuse Case Characteristics.

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to describe child demographics, familial psychosocial factors, and sexual abuse case characteristics in children experiencing sexual abuse revictimization before the age of 18 years, and to compare them with children not identified as experiencing revictimization. A retrospective chart review was conducted from both the revictimization group and the one-assessment group and reviewed for child sexual abuse case characteristics, familial psychosocial characteristics, and child demographic information. Children in the revictimization group were younger and more likely to possess a developmental delay and mental health diagnosis when compared with children in the one-assessment group. Higher proportions of parents in the one-assessment group were supportive and believed their child's sexual abuse allegation when compared with parents of the revictimization group. Families in the revictimization group were more likely to report multiple psychosocial risk factors when compared with the one-assessment group, including domestic violence, substance abuse concerns, mental health, parental history of sexual abuse, and financial concerns. This study suggests that children most at risk for sexual abuse revictimization often present with multiple familial psychosocial concerns and have parents/caregivers who are not supportive of them or their sexual abuse allegations.