Abstract
BackgroundLifetime victimization experiences, including child sexual abuse (CSA), child physical abuse (CPA), adult sexual assault (ASA), and adult physical assault (APA), are associated with health problems.PurposeTo examine relationships between cumulative victimization and physical health among heterosexual and lesbian women and determine whether these relationships differ by sexual identity.MethodsLarge samples of heterosexual (n = 482) and lesbian women (n = 394) were interviewed. Questions included lifetime victimization experiences and physical health problems.ResultsCompared to women who reported no childhood victimization, those who reported experiencing both CSA and CPA were 44% more likely to report health problems and women who experienced all four types of victimization (CSA, CPA, APA, ASA) were nearly 240% as likely to report physical health problems. Interaction analyses revealed the association between victimization and physical health did not differ by sexual identity.ConclusionsAlthough lesbians were more likely to report all types of victimization, results suggest that victimization conferred increased physical health risks regardless of sexual identity.
Highlights
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 46% of US women have experienced rape or some other type of forced sexual contact in their lifetime [1]
Conclusions: lesbians were more likely to report all types of victimization, results suggest that victimization conferred increased physical health risks regardless of sexual identity
We extend the literature on the health impact of victimization by examining the association between lifetime victimization and physical health problems in both heterosexual and lesbian women
Summary
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 46% of US women have experienced rape or some other type of forced sexual contact in their lifetime [1]. Recent research suggests that sexual minority individuals (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) experience higher prevalence of sexual and physical abuse in childhood, and sexual and physical assault in adulthood their heterosexual peers [6,7,8]. We extend the literature on the health impact of victimization by examining the association between lifetime victimization and physical health problems in both heterosexual and lesbian women. Lifetime Victimization and Physical Health Research shows that both childhood and adulthood victimization can confer health risks. Population-based studies provide ample evidence of the association between child abuse and health problems in adulthood. Lifetime victimization experiences, including child sexual abuse (CSA), child physical abuse (CPA), adult sexual assault (ASA), and adult physical assault (APA), are associated with health problems.
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