Prevalence Of Sexual Abuse Research Articles

"They are Assuming That We are Going to Accuse Them of Rape, and We are Assuming That They are Going to Rape us": A Developmental Perspective on Emerging Adults' Consent Conversations Post #MeToo.

Prevalence of sexual assault remains high on American college campuses, and sexual consent education is lacking within school-based sexual health education programming. Much empirical research has aimed to reduce sexual violence through a deeper understanding of college students' perceptions of sexual consent. However, researchers have not yet examined the impact of broader social discourse, such as that initiated by the #MeToo movement, on emerging adults' conceptualizations of sexual consent. Gendered focus groups were conducted with 34 college students at a large midwestern university in spring of 2019. Qualitative analyses using a phenomenological framework revealed a developmental process of consent education shaped by socialized sexual scripts and public discourse of the #MeToo movement. Four distinct themes emerged: (1) Introductions to Consent in Childhood, (2) Lack of Sexual Consent Education in Adolescence, (3) The Nuanced College Context, and (4) Consent in the Era of #MeToo. Findings reveal that consent is introduced in childhood, outside the context of sexuality, but is generally not revisited within the context of sexual consent by parents or educators during adolescence, leaving media messaging and socialized sexual scripts to serve as guides for sexual consent. This lack of sexual consent education in adolescence then leaves emerging adults unprepared for nuanced sexual experiences in the college context and unable to critically engage with public discourse surrounding consent such as the #MeToo movement, which has caused both fearful and positive outcomes. Findings support the need for earlier and more comprehensive education about sexual consent in childhood and adolescence and the need for college sexual assault prevention programs to include further instruction on navigating ambiguous sexual consent experiences.

Sexual Assaults at the One Stop Center Unit in the Health District of Commune V of Bamako (Mali)

Introduction: Sexual assault violates fundamental rights, including physical and psychological integrity and security of the person. The purpose of this work was to take stock of the holistic management of sexual assaults received in the service. Patients and method: We conducted a cross-sectional and descriptive study covering the period from June 2017 to May 2020, i.e. three years. It focused on all survivors of sexual assault received in the unit of <On Stop Center> which houses the Obstetric Gynecology Department of the CSRéf CV of the district of Bamako in Mali. Results: The prevalence of sexual assault was 1.79%. The average age of survivors was 24 years. Sexual assaults mainly concerned adolescent girls (92.20%). The majority of survivors had been admitted (88.84%). They were single (89.80%). The average gesture was 4. The alleged perpetrator was unknown to the survivor in 79.14%. Genitogenital penetration with ejaculation was reported in 70.14% of cases, including 52.40% in a climate of violence. The initial clinical evaluation found recent hymenal lesions found in 13.58% of cases and an intact hymen in 9.42% of survivors. Holistic management included a paraclinical assessment component and a care administration and support component. The drafting of a medical certificate in three copies was systematic. Conclusion: Sexual assaults are relatively common in our department. They are probably underestimated. Keywords: Violence, gender, survivors, bamako.

Sexual Assault and Associated Factors among Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia

Background: Sexual assault is a major form of sexual violence affecting one out of every five women in the world and it has many consequences including sexually transmitted infections, posttraumatic stress disorder and risk of unintended pregnancy. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the magnitude, complication and factors associated with sexual assault among women who visited gynecologic outpatient department of Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to October 30, 2019. Self-administered questionnaire developed from “WHO multi-country study on women health” and from “sexual violence medical evaluation certificate format” was used to collect data. Descriptive analysis was done on sexual assault related characteristics and binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis were done to identify factors associated with sexual assault.Results: The prevalence of sexual assault was 10.8% (n=43). Some 79.1% (n=34) of survivors were under the age of 18 years. 25% (n=7) of the survivors tested for pregnancy were positive and some 7% (n=3) of each were positive for Hepatitis B and Trichomonas vaginalis. Woman who was less than 18 years old [aOR=10.7, 95%CI (3.37, 33.85)], unmarried [aOR=9.2, 95% CI (2.11, 40.42)], had primary level of education [aOR=8.9, 95% CI (2.37, 33.06)] and a monthly income less than 1500 birr [aOR=6.7, 95% CI (1.54, 29.50)] had higher odds of experiencing sexual assault than their counterparts who were adult, married, secondary- or higher-level of education and a monthly income more than 1500 birr. Conclusions: In this study, Age, marital status, monthly income and educational level were significantly associated with sexual assault.Key words: Women, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexually transmitted infection.

Sexual assault and psychosis in two large general population samples: Is childhood and adolescence a developmental window of sensitivity?

BackgroundResearch has shown a strong relationship between psychosis and sexual assault. Theories on developmental trauma as a causal factor for psychosis suggest that exposure to sexual trauma in childhood would have a stronger association with psychosis than sexual trauma in adulthood. We hypothesized that exposure to sexual trauma earlier in childhood and adolescence would be more strongly associated with hallucinations, delusional beliefs and psychotic disorder than sexual trauma that occurred later in life. MethodsUsing the 2007 and 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys (N = 14,949) we calculated the prevalence of sexual assault, hallucinations, delusional beliefs, and psychotic disorder. We used logistic regression to examine the relationship between age of exposure to sexual assault (first exposure <16 vs first exposure ≥16) and odds of hallucinations, delusions, and psychotic disorder. ResultsSexual assault at any age was associated with an increased odds of hallucinations (aOR = 2.00, 95%CI = 1.63–2.46), delusional beliefs (aOR = 2.55, 95%CI = 2.24–2.89) and psychotic disorder (aOR = 5.28, 95%CI = 3.59–7.76). There was no significant difference, however, in the prevalence of hallucinations, delusional beliefs or psychotic disorders in individuals first exposed to sexual assault <16 and individuals first exposed ≥16. ConclusionsContrary to our hypothesis, we did not find evidence that exposure to sexual assault in childhood and adolescence was more strongly associated with hallucinations, delusional beliefs or psychotic disorder than exposure to sexual assault age >16. Our findings do not support the idea that childhood and adolescence are uniquely sensitive periods for the emergence of psychotic experiences or psychotic disorder in relation to sexual trauma.

A study on child sexual abuse reported by urban indian college students.

The prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) in India is 18-50% depending on the population studied. To devise strategies for prevention of CSA at the primary care level, we studied the prevalence of CSA amongst college students aged 17-25 years. A group of medical students and their friends were sent, an anonymous questionnaire validated by experts via WhatsApp. The questionnaire assessed demography, occurrence of prior CSA and details of the sexual abuse. About 574 students participated in the study. The majority of respondents were female (380, 66.2%). About 467 (81.2%) of participants were from South India. Of the 380 women and 194 men who consented to participate in the study, 218 (57.3%) and 65 (33.5%), respectively, said that they had been sexually abused in the past (p < 0.00001). The event commonly occurred at 12-14 years (22.6%), but about 53% of victims were <12 years of age. The perpetrator was usually male (93.2%), less than 30 years of age (54%) and a stranger (42.7%). The most common form of CSA from 348 instances in 283 respondents was some form of "bad touch or caresses" (56.6%). About 25.8% of those abused did not speak to anyone about the event. Only 249 respondents (43%) were counselled regarding CSA by their parents. The prevalence of CSA amongst South Indian college students is 49.3%. The victims were mainly girls <12 years of age and the perpetrators were mainly male (93.2%). Primary Care Physicians can play a greater role in the early detection and prevention of CSA.

Prevalence of child sexual abuse among Secondary School Adolescents in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

Prevalence of child sexual abuse among Secondary School Adolescents in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

Alone and Not Alone: Implications for Clinicians Working with Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) makes it highly likely that mental health professionals will provide therapy services to survivors, including adult, cisgender men, who face unique barriers in disclosing the sexual abuse they suffered. This article is written to help clinicians understand these unique barriers and what mental health professionals can do to support disclosure. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), we studied the lived experiences of three adult, cisgender men who survived CSA but waited until adulthood to disclose to a mental health professional the abuse they suffered. Some of the themes that emerged from their disclosures were their similar sense of feeling isolated as a result of the experience yet connected with others who have had similar experiences; guilt feelings about and sense of responsibility for how disclosure affected their loved ones and family members; and the disempowerment associated with having family members and clinicians act on their disclosure in ways the survivors did not want. Implications for clinicians include a focus on the relational nature of the therapy and the importance of respecting the client’s autonomy, among others.

New Futures, same old Fear: Gender-based Violence and Victim Coping in Contemporary Young Adult Dystopian Fiction

The ability of dystopian fiction to offer critical views of futures riddled with the devastating consequences of today’s failures is pervasive also in its literary subgenre targeting young readers. While scholarship on these novels is extensive, the prevalence of sexual assaults in this subgenre requires attention. This study offers an introductory analysis of two contemporary young adult dystopian trilogies, Veronica Roth’s Divergent (2011-2013) and Beth Revis’ Across the Universe (2011-2013), with a focus on the sexual assaults the protagonists endure. The discussion draws on trauma and sexual abuse research to ascertain how and if these future societies and heroines challenge traditional representations of this crime.

Prevalence of adult sexual abuse in men with mental illness: Bayesian meta-analysis.

Sexual abuse is a broad category of traumatic experiences that includes rape and any unwanted sexual contact with a body part or foreign object, whether penetrative, oral or otherwise. Although patients with mental illness have a higher risk of becoming victims of sexual abuse in adulthood, few studies investigate the proportion of male victims in this population. Their underrepresentation in research is a barrier to understanding the negative outcomes associated with sexual abuse in men. We estimated the prevalence of recent (past year) and adulthood sexual abuse perpetrated by any perpetrator and separately by intimate partners in males diagnosed with a mental illness. To model the prevalences and heterogeneity arising from reports, we used Bayesian multilevel models. Prevalences were estimated for mixed-diagnosis, substance misuse, intellectual disability and post-traumatic stress disorder samples, and studies reporting specifically on intimate partner violence. This review was registered through PROSPERO (CRD42020169299). Estimated adult sexual abuse was 5.3% (95% Credibility Interval 1.6-12.8%) for past-year abuse and 14.1% (95% Credibility Interval 7.3-22.4%) for abuse in adulthood. There was considerable heterogeneity of prevalence between studies and diagnosis groups. Our analyses show that the prevalence of sexual abuse of males diagnosed with a mental illness was much higher than for men in the general population. This has important implications regarding the proportion of undetected or untreated sexually abused men in clinical practice.

Comparing Rates of Sexual Assault Between Panel Quota and Social Media Samples: Findings Across Sexual Orientation Categories.

Sexual assault is prevalent and may be even more prevalent among sexual minorities. However, prevalence rates vary, in part, due to discrepancies in sampling methods. Given this, we assessed whether two popular non-probability sampling types (panel quota vs. social media recruitment) produced different sexual assault prevalence rates when holding all other methodological choices (definitions, measures, scoring) constant in a sample of lesbian, bisexual, queer, and heterosexual adults, excluding cisgender men. Two phases of data collection occurred-a panel quota sample (n = 1366), recruited from an online sample aggregator, and social media sample (n = 1102), recruited through lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) social media sites. Participants were asked about sexual assault and rape experiences in both childhood and adulthood using a modified form of the Sexual Experiences Scale-Short Form Victimization. Both phases used the same definitions of sexual assault, prevalence measures, and prevalence scoring. Overall, the sample recruited via LGBTQ social media yielded statistically higher sexual assault prevalence rates for all four types of victimization experiences measured: lifetime sexual assault (LSA), rape-specific LSA, childhood sexual assault (CSA), and adulthood sexual assault. However, when parsing out subgroups, this finding only held for heterosexual participants who had rates > 30% higher in the social media sample compared with the panel quota sample. These findings suggest that researchers studying sexual assault in lesbian, bisexual, or queer adults may be able to use social media sampling techniques, which require less resources, without concern that the sampling technique is inflating prevalence when compared to panels.

From sexual harassment to sexual assault: Prevalence and correlates of sexual trauma in the French military.

BackgroundSexual harassment (SH) is prevalent in military settings and dependent on the workplace environment. Few studies have investigated this issue in non-US military settings nor have examined how contextual and individual factors related to Military Sexual Trauma (MST) vary by gender.MethodsThis study draws on a national sexual survey in the French military including 1268 servicemen and 232 servicewomen. We examined four sexual stressors (repeated sexual comments, sexual coercion, repeated unwanted verbal sexual attention and sexual assault (SA)) and two combined measures of verbal SH (comments, unwanted attention) and MST (all forms). We conducted multivariate logistic regressions to identify contextual and individual factors related to these outcomes.Results36.7% of women and 17.5% of men experienced MST in the last year and 12.6% and 3.5% reported SA. Factors associated with verbal SH differed from those related to SA. The odds of verbal SH were elevated among men who had sex with men (OR = 3.5) and among women officers (OR = 4.6) while the odds of SA were elevated among men less than 25 years (OR = 3.5) and women with less than a high school diploma (OR = 10.9). The odds of SH increased by 20% to 80% when men worked in units with higher female representation, higher prevalence of MST (sexual comments, or sexual assault, coercion, repeated unwanted attention) and lower acceptance of women in the miliatry. The odds of SA also increased by 70% among men working in units with higher female representation and higher prevalence of sexual oppression. The odds of SA against women were particular high (OR = 5.7) in units with a high prevalence of sexual assault, coercion, or repeated unwanted attention.ConclusionMST is common in the French military, with women experiencing more severe forms than men. Our resuls call for programmatic action to reduce workplace factors related to verbal SH and SA in the French military.

Childhood Emotional Abuse Is Associated With the Desire to Get Married and Have Children in Korean Young Adults

ObjectiveYoung adults putting off marriage and having less children have become recent trends in many modern societies. Yet less is known about the psychological factors underlying the drastically low marriage and fertility rates. We hypothesized that childhood maltreatment experience may have a negative association with one’s marriage and childbearing intention. MethodsA total of 1,004 college students (mean age of 20.8±2.3 years, 56.1% female) completed self-questionnaires including sociodemographic information, marriage and childbearing intention, Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of childhood trauma on marriage and childbearing intentions after controlling for sociodemographic variables and depression. Results29.7% had no intention to get married and 40.4% had no intention to have children in the future. The prevalence of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse was 33.1%, 18.5%, and 22.3%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that female (p<0.001), poor health status (p=0.001), and childhood emotional abuse (p=0.01) were independent predictors of no desire to get married. Female (p<0.001), poor health status (p<0.001), and childhood emotional abuse (p=0.038) were also predictors of no desire to have children. ConclusionChildhood emotional abuse may be the most damaging form among other types of childhood maltreatment because it can occur more pervasively and persist for a longer period, causing extensive damage to a child’s emotional, social and cognitive development. Raising awareness regarding the life-long consequences of childhood emotional abuse and the need to prevent and detect childhood emotional abuse should be emphasized.

Childhood abuse and its association with adults’ mental health problems: a cross-sectional study among men and women in the Yangon Region of Myanmar

ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual childhood abuse, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to examine the association between childhood abuse and adult mental health...

Intervention program needs for older adults living with HIV who are childhood sexual abuse survivors

Objectives Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence estimates range from 8-11% among older adults and may range from 16 to 22% among older adults living with HIV (OALH). CSA experiences can still impact the quality of life of older adults. To the best of our knowledge, however, there are no CSA-focused interventions tailored for OALH. Using a qualitative approach, this study characterized the desired components of a trauma-focused intervention for OALH who are CSA survivors. Methods Twenty-four (24) adults aged 50 years of age or older who were living with HIV and had experienced CSA were recruited from a large HIV immunology center in South Carolina. Participants completed in-depth, qualitative, semi-structured interviews. We iteratively examined verbatim transcripts using thematic analysis. Results Three main themes emerged: program format and modality, program content, and program coordinator. Most participants expressed a desire for a trauma-focused intervention program in which the CSA experience was addressed and they could talk to someone either individually, as a group, and/or both. Conclusion A trauma-focused intervention addressing CSA may be helpful for OALH who are CSA survivors. Future research should focus on designing and implementing age-appropriate interventions addressing the CSA experience, increasing resilience, and developing adaptive coping skills.

Prevalence of sexual abuse and its association with health-risk behaviors among Brazilian adolescents: A populational study

BackgroundAnalysis of sexual abuse has usually been neglected in research at developing countries despite its everlasting consequences. This study examined the prevalence of sexual abuse among Brazilian adolescents according to data from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) and analyzed it based on Brazilian regions, sociodemographic aspects, health information, and health-risk behaviors among Brazilian adolescents who reported having experienced sexual abuse previously. Participants and settingThe PeNSE data were utilized, and the sample included 102,072 students from all over Brazil, aged between 11 and 19 years. MethodsData were collected by questionnaires and were analyzed by multivariate analysis using the Poisson regression model. ResultsThe results denoted a relation between sexual abuse, social determinants of health variables (i.e., black, indigenous, and mixed skin color/ethnicity; Brazilian region public school, age between 15 and 18 years, and low education level of the mother), and health-risk behaviors (i.e., early sexual intercourse, having multiple sexual partners, unprotected sexual intercourse, use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs). ConclusionTherefore, reports of sexual abuse are associated with risky behaviors. Given these findings, targeted interventions on sexual abuse are essential for the health of adolescents and the prevention of risky behaviors, and can also facilitate programs to prevent sexual abuse.

Trends and pattern of sexual assault in North Central Nigeria.

Sexual assault is assuming an alarming status and usually leaves a devatating effect on women and girls who fall victim. The aim of this study was to determine the trend and pattern of sexual assaults. This was a retrospective cohort study. Case notes were retrieved from gynaecological emergency unit from January 2016 to December 2018. A total of 45 Case folders were collected. The information from the case notes were entered into a structured proforma. A total 2250 gynaecological emergency cases were seen and out of these 45 were victims of sexual assault, giving the prevalence of sexual assault to be 2.0%. A large proportion 84.4% were noted in children less than 16 years of age. There was delay in presentation as only 40% did so within 24 hours of the incidence. In 84.4% of the cases, the victim had a relationship with the alleged assailant and the assault was said to have occured most times in the home of the assailant. In 95.5%, vaginal penetration was the commonest and threat of violence was the commonest method of overcoming the victims. About 42.2% victims did not have a human immunodeficiency virus screening test done for various reasons. In conclusion, gender-based violence and other practices that affect the health of women and children negatively, and sexual assault against children and adolescence are still prevalent in our clime as seen from this study.

Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse in Spain: A Representative Sample Study.

The prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) is difficult to assess, and rates vary widely across studies due to methodological and sample differences. In Spain, prevalence data from representative samples are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of different CSA experiences in a sample that was representative of the Spanish population in terms of gender, age, and region. The sample comprised 1,071 (539 male and 532 female) Spanish adults (Mage = 45.37; SD = 14.84). Participants completed an anonymous online survey about different types of CSA and were asked whether they had disclosed the experience at the time. Prevalence was analyzed as a function of gender and generation. Results indicated prevalence rates ranging from 2.8% to 18.5%, depending on the type of experience. The most common experience suffered during childhood was being shown pornographic material, while that with the lowest prevalence was being forced to perform a sexual act involving penetration. Prevalence was higher in females than males for eight of the ten experiences considered. Young adults from Generation Z were the most likely to report having suffered three of the CSA experiences, two of them related to technology. Only 27.5% of respondents said that they had told someone about the abuse at the time, mainly their mother (more common among females) or a friend/peer (more frequent among males). The results suggest that CSA is prevalent in Spain, with considerable rates for several types of abusive experience, especially among females and the youngest generation. The implications of the results are discussed. The findings may inform social policy and the development of effective prevention programs.

An Exploration of the Effects of Sexual Assault Victimization among Justice-Involved Youth: Urbanity, Race/Ethnicity, and Sex Differences

ABSTRACT Childhood sexual assault is a traumatic experience with negative consequences and correlates. Little research has examined the prevalence of self-reported childhood sexual assault among justice-involved youths across urbanity, sex, and race/ethnicity. This study utilized data collected at intake from two juvenile assessment centers (JACs) for 4,336 adolescents. This exploratory study examined the prevalence of sexual assault victimization and correlates of marijuana use, sexually transmitted infection (STI), number of sexual partners, sexual orientation, and depression across twelve subgroups based on urbanity, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results indicated 7-8% of the sample reported experiencing sexual assault across the urban and rural JAC locations. The prevalence of sexual assault varied significantly across the subgroups, with White, females in both urban and rural locations reporting higher rates, compared to Black or Hispanic males and females. Sexual assault victimization was particularly related to depression, number of sexual partners, and sexual minority orientation. Implications regarding public health concerns are discussed.

The Global Prevalence of Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review of International Research Since 2010.

We present a review of peer-reviewed English-language studies conducted outside the United States and Canada on the prevalence of sexual assault victimization in adolescence and adulthood published since 2010. A systematic literature search yielded 32 articles reporting on 45 studies from 29 countries. Studies that only provided prevalence estimates for sexual assault in intimate relationships or did not present separate rates for men and women were excluded. All studies were coded by two coders, and a risk of bias score was calculated for each study. Both past-year and prevalence rates covering longer periods were extracted. The largest number of studies came from Europe (n=21), followed by Africa (n=11), Asia and Latin America (n=6 each). One study came from the Middle East and no studies were found from Oceania. Across the 22 studies that reported past-year prevalence rates, figures ranged from 0% to 59.2% for women, 0.3% to 55.5% for men, and 1.5% to 18.2% for LGBT samples. The average risk of bias score was 5.7 out of 10. Studies varied widely in methodology. Despite regional variation, most studies indicate that sexual assault is widespread. More sustained, systematic, and coordinated research efforts are needed to gauge the scale of sexual assault in different parts of the world and to develop prevention measures.

MALTREATMENT IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CHILDREN FROM PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE IN BANGLADESH: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Children with disabilities are at an increased risk of experiencing child maltreatment (CM). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of different forms of CM among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Bangladesh. We interviewed 45 randomly selected mothers of ASD children who attended a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to treat their children. Data regarding CM was collected using a standard screening tool recommended by the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). We asked mothers to report about their child-rearing practices to identify CM, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, and neglect, along with their non-violent disciplinary practices. The children's age range was 3 to 9 years, and approximately 82 percent were boys. All children were found to have experiences of physical and psychological abuse throughout their childhood. Seventy-three percent of children experienced neglect during the past year while 82 percent during their entire childhood. The reported prevalence of sexual abuse was 4.4 percent in the past year and 8.9 percent during their childhood. However, all parents followed non-violent disciplinary practices, and the prevalence of maltreatment did not differ between boys and girls. Higher instances of CM in Bangladesh, especially among ASD children, raise concern for its adverse social consequences and calls for appropriate mitigation practices as proclaimed by the United Nations Child Rights Charter.