Document 2396
 DOCN  M94A2396
 TI    Sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence as predictors of
       HIV-related sexual risk behaviors in adulthood.
 DT    9412
 AU    Klein H; Young P; Wild J; NOVA Research, Bethesda, MD 20814.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):313 (abstract no. PC0180). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370179
 AB    OBJECTIVE: This study strives to understand the relationship between
       sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence and subsequent involvement
       in HIV-related sexual risk behaviors in adulthood. The research
       hypothesis is that women who have been abused sexually will be more
       likely than nonabused women to engage in sexual risk behaviors. METHODS:
       From 1990-1993, 2,794 North American women who were sexual partners of
       injection drug users (IDUs) were studied. Respondents were asked whether
       they experienced four types of sexual abuse during childhood or
       adolescence: being forced to see or show private parts, being forced to
       touch private parts, being shown dirty pictures or magazines, and sexual
       penetration. Data about telling others about one's abuse, whether one's
       abuse-related claims were believed, age of first and last abuse were
       also gathered. Information about HIV-related sexual risk behaviors in
       adulthood included trading sex for drugs/money, having sex while high on
       alcohol/other drugs, contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
       number of sex partners, and proportion of all sexual activity involving
       unprotected sex. Fifty personal empowerment-related items were also
       included in the questionnaires. RESULTS: Childhood and adolescent sexual
       abuse were reported by 36.3% and 34.4%, respectively, of respondents.
       The number of different types of abuse experienced was directly related
       to (p < .05) all 5 sexual risk behaviors. Abuse during childhood or
       adolescence, and having one's abuse believed by others are related to (p
       < .05) trading sex for drugs/money and contracting STDs, but not to
       number of partners, practicing unsafe sex, or having sex while high.
       DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Sexual abuse early in life predicts
       involvement in high-risk sexual behaviors later in life. In particular,
       sexual abuse during childhood and/or adolescence seems to increase
       women's likelihoods of contacting STDS and trading sex for drugs/money.
       Our findings suggest that females who, as adults, become the sex
       partners of IDUs may do so because of the negative effects that their
       own abuse histories have had on their senses of self worth and on their
       feelings of having control over their own lives.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Child  Child Abuse, Sexual/*PSYCHOLOGY  Female
       Human  HIV Infections/*TRANSMISSION  Risk Factors  *Sex Behavior  Sexual
       Partners  Substance Abuse, Intravenous/COMPLICATIONS  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).