1. Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Revictimization in Young Women
American Psychological Association August 2003, Toronto ON
Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Revictimization in Young Women
Lisa Van Bruggen, M.A.
Marsha Runtz, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University of Victoria
Poster presented to the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Aug. 2003, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Van Bruggen & Runtz, University of Victoria

2. American Psychological Association August 2003, Toronto ON
Abstract
Sexual self-esteem, sexual concerns and behaviors, and sexual revictimization were examined in a university sample of 402 women.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) was associated with lower sexual self-esteem, greater sexual concerns, and later sexual assault.
The relationship between child maltreatment (i.e., CSA and psychological maltreatment) and revictimization was partially mediated by sexual self-esteem and dysfunctional sexual behaviors.
Van Bruggen & Runtz, University of Victoria

3. Background
20% to 30% of university women have a history of CSA, and 15% have experienced sexual assault since the age of 14
CSA has a significant relationship with later sexual assault
Moderate effect size of .59 (Roodman & Clum, 2001)
Later sexual assault is 2 to 3 times more likely for women who have experienced CSA (Arata, 2002)

4. Background Factors related to revictimization include:
CSA involving physical contact (Mayall & Gold, 1995)
Intrafamilial CSA (Kessler & Bieschke, 1999)
Current sexual behaviors
E.g., high level of sexual activity (Mayall & Gold, 1995)
Traumatic sexualization and stigmatization (Finkelhor & Browne,1985)
Child’s sexuality is shaped in a developmentally inappropriate and interpersonally dysfunctional way
Feelings of badness, shame and guilt related to CSA
Theoretical Explanation

5. Purpose of the study
The present study examined the relationships between child maltreatment before age 14 and sexual assault after age 14 in university women
Structural equation modeling was used to explore the role of sexual attitudes and behaviors as possible mediators between CSA and later sexual assault
13-page anonymous and confidential questionnaires were completed by participants

6. Method: Participants Women 402 Introductory Psychology Students Young
Median age = 19.0
(SD = 2.6)
Range = 17 to 43 years
Single
96.5% were not married
Canadian
Citizenship
94%
Caucasian
Asian
84%
11.4%
Parents’ Education
72% had attended college/university or had a professional degree
Parents’ Income (Cdn$)
< $40 000/year: %
$40 to $59 999/year: 23%
$60 to $79 999/year: 25%
$ /year: %

7. Measures Child Maltreatment Interview Schedule (Briere, 1992)
CSA definition
Sexual contact before age 14 that involved force, or was with someone five+ years older, or was self-identified as CSA
Child Physical Abuse (CPA)
A physical and purposeful act by a parental guardian (e.g., being hit) that resulted in an injury (e.g., broken bones)
Child Psychological Maltreatment (CPM)
7 statements ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (20+ times a year)
E.g., “yell at you,” “criticize you” and “ridicule or humiliate you”

8. American Psychological Association August 2003, Toronto ON
Measures
Sexual Experiences Survey (Koss & Oros, 1982)
Sexual assault after age 14
Unwanted sexual contact
Sexual coercion
Attempted rape
Rape
Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory for Women (Zeanah & Schwartz, 1996)
Skill/Experience
Attractiveness
Control
Moral Judgement
Adaptiveness
Van Bruggen & Runtz, University of Victoria

9. Measures Trauma Symptom Inventory (Briere, 1995)
2 of the 10 scales used:
Sexual Concerns: e.g., “wishing that you didn’t have any sexual feelings”
Dysfunctional Sexual Behaviors: e.g., “having sex to keep from feeling lonely or sad”
Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991)
Number of sexual partners in the last year
Number of predicted sexual partners in the next five years
Number of partners participants had sex with on one and only one occasion

10. Results: Child Maltreatment
CSA: 13% (n = 54)
39% (n = 21) interfamilial CSA
20% (n = 11) force used
56% (n = 30) defined their experience as sexual abuse
CPA: 14% (n = 55)
16 women (30% of CSA survivors) experienced both CSA and CPA
Significant relationship between CSA and CPA, 2(1) = 13.43, p < .01
CPM: M = (SD = 9.84)
CPM was related to other forms of child abuse
CSA: t (397) = -2.28, p = .02
CPA: t (397) = -8.64, p <.001

11. Results: Sexual Self-Esteem and Sexual Concerns
CSA was related to lower sexual self-esteem, F (5, 385) = 3.13, p = .01
Greater incongruence between sexual thoughts and behaviors and moral standards
F (1, 395) = 11.75, p < .001
Difficulty managing sexual thoughts, feelings, and interactions
F (1, 393) = 6.53, p = .01
Greater incongruence between sexual thoughts and behaviors with personal goals
F (1, 393) = 4.13, p = .04
CSA was related to greater sexual concerns
t (397) = -2.6, p = .01

12. Results: Sexual Assault After Age 14
36% (n = 145) of participants endorsed 1 or more questions on the Sexual Experiences Survey
Most common offenders were known to the victim:
Boyfriends/dates (51%)
Friends/acquaintances (36%)

13. Results: Revictimization
Women with CSA history were more likely than nonCSA women to experience later sexual assault, Wald(1) = 9.81, p = .002; Odds ratio = 2.53

14. Results: Revictimization
The 3 child maltreatment variables were entered simultaneously in a multiple regression to predict sexual assault, F (3, 395) = 8.70, p <.001
Standardized Coefficients
Child Sexual Abuse
β = .17,
p = .001
Child Psychological Maltreatment
β = .15,
p = .007
Child Physical Abuse ns

15. American Psychological Association August 2003, Toronto ON
Results: Path Diagram
Child
Sexual
Abuse
Control
.24
-.25
.49
.33
Sexual Self
Esteem
Child Psych
Maltreat-
ment
Adaptive-
ness
.18
.42
-.48
.51
-.87
Sex
with s/o
only 1 time
.20
Moral
Judgement
.26
.76
Sexual
Behaviors
.44
.60
Dysfunc.
Sexual
Behaviors
.36
Sexual
Assault
After Age 14
.42
.64
2(15) = 64.66
 = Standardized Regression Coefficients
= Squared Multiple Correlations
Van Bruggen & Runtz, University of Victoria

16. Conclusions
Among university women, a history of child sexual abuse and child psychological maltreatment were found to be related to later sexual assault
Evidence of traumatic sexualization and stigmatization
Lower sexual self-esteem and greater sexual concerns in women who had experienced CSA and CPM

17. Conclusions
The path analysis suggests that poor sexual self-esteem and dysfunctional sexual behaviors may play a role in mediating the influence of CSA and CPM on later sexual assault
The results point to the need for additional research exploring the association between different types of child maltreatment and later sexual assault
E.g., there are no published studies examining the role of CPM as a risk factor for sexual assault

18. Clinical Relevance
The results illustrate the need for increased prevention efforts
Educating young women of risk factors for sexual assault
Focus on self-protection while recognizing that it is the perpetrator who is ultimately responsible for any form of sexual victimization
Help women to be aware of how they feel about their sexuality, and how such feelings may influence their sexual behaviors
E.g., low sexual self-esteem may be related to dysfunctional sexual behaviors, such as multiple sexual partners and indiscriminant sexual behaviors

19. Clinical Relevance
Provide information on the psychological effects of victimization experiences (e.g., feelings of self-blame and guilt), and how factors related to victimization may put women at a higher risk for revictimization
E.g., problem-solving and communication skill deficits around making sexual decisions (Marx et al., 2001)
Lack of assertiveness in interpersonal relationships (Classen et al., 2001)

20. Limitations of the Study
Issue of causality
E.g., experiencing sexual assault is also likely to affect sexual self-esteem and future sexual behaviors
Selection issues
Undergraduate university women may not be representative, thus limiting generalizability
Lack of cultural diversity
Predominantly Caucasian women
Only women in the study
Literature on revictimization focuses primarily on women’s experiences
Self-report retrospective questionnaire