Risk Factors for Violent Victimization of Women in a Major Northeastern City, 1990-1991 and 1996-1997 [electronic resource] Jane A. Siegel, Linda M. Williams

2006-03-30

Ann Arbor, Mich. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor] 2000

1 online resource

Numeric

This study addressed the question of whether women who were sexually abused as children were at increased risk of either sexual abuse or domestic violence victimization later in life. It also investigated the role of other potential risk factors, including family background, sexual behavior, alcohol problems, and a woman's own aggressive behavior. The investigators sought to answer the following questions: (1) Are victims of child sexual abuse at increased risk of adolescent or adult sexual victimization as compared to nonvictims? (2) Are victims of child sexual abuse at increased risk of physically violent nonsexual victimization as compared to nonvictims? (3) How is the risk of sexual revictimization and physical victimization among abuse survivors affected by their engaging in violent behavior, such as physical fighting, engaging in heavy drinking, and practicing risky sexual behavior, such as having multiple sexual partners? (4) Were women who reported drinking problems and physical fighting in Wave 2 at increased risk of domestic violence victimization at Wave 3, compared to the other child abuse victims in the study? This study consisted of a secondary analysis of selected variables collected during two waves of a three-wave prospective study of the consequences of child abuse and sexual assault for adult, adolescent, and child victims (McCahill, Meyer, and Fischman, 1979). During the first wave of the study, data were gathered on 206 girls ranging in age from 10 months to 12 years who were victims of reported cases of sexual abuse and who were examined at a municipal hospital in 1973-1975. In 1990 and 1991, follow-up interviews (Wave 2) were conducted with 136 of the original 206 girls, then aged 18 to 31. During this wave, a comparison group of girls treated at a hospital for reasons other than child sexual abuse was matched to the 206 victims on the basis of race, age, and date of hospital visit, for purposes of analysis of their official criminal records. The criminal records data are not included in this data collection. Also, none of the women in the comparison group were interviewed during Wave 2. In 1996 and 1997, another wave of follow-up interviews (Wave 3) was conducted. Using the same criteria as in Wave 2, a new matched comparison group was identified, resulting in an additional 85 girls in the sample. Of the 174 women interviewed during Wave 3, 80 were known victims of child sexual abuse who also had been interviewed during Wave 2. The data in Part 2 (Wave 3 Women Also Interviewed at Wave 2) are a subset of Part 1 (All Wave 3 Interviews). Part 1 variables supply information on self-reported family history of substance abuse and criminal activity, parental care and neglect, and family violence when the respondent was a child. Topics focusing on respondents' current (adult) experiences include violence in relationships, injuries as a result of domestic violence, use of a weapon during domestic violence, sexual history, sexual victimization, and parental attachment. Variables in Part 2 cover parental affection and support received by the respondent when she was a teenager, history of fighting, physical abuse by a partner, dating and sexual history, alcohol abuse, and sexual victimization. Demographic variables (found in Part 1 only) include age, marital status, race, and education.Cf: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03052.v1

Also available as downloadable files.

Data Sets / Online

English

June 14, 2019

Data sets.