Childhood sexual abuse outcomes among different ethnic/racial groups : a comparative study

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] CSA has been associated with a number of adverse outcomes (Tyler, 2002). However, there is a dearth of literature focusing on how racial/ethnic difference influences such outcomes. The aims of this study were to examine CSA outcomes (i.e., self-esteem, sexual risk-taking behaviors, sexual assault later in life, attitudes towards dating relationships) among different ethnic groups in both women and men. The sample consisted of 619 Black (n = 176, 28%), White (n = 258, 42%), Asian (n= 117, 19%) and Latino (n = 68, 11%) men and women. Women comprised 56.9% (n = 353) of the sample, and males 46.1% (n = 267). A Chi-Square test showed that Latina/o participants experienced higher sexual abuse rates (19.1%) than Whites (7.8%). For gender, women were more likely to experience CSA (73.6%) than men (26.4%). A MANOVA revealed that Blacks who were sexually abused as children were more likely to have sexual risktaking behaviors than Whites and Asians. Latinos were also more likely to endorse sexual-risk taking behaviors than Asians. For sexual coercion later in life, Blacks were more likely to be sexually re-victimized than Latinos and Asians who were sexually abused as children. Whites were also more likely to be sexually coerced later in life than Asians. This study adds insight to the scare literature on CSA outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities. Important implications are discussed.