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The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Later Sexual Victimization among Runaway Youth
Author(s) -
Tyler Kimberly A.,
Hoyt Dan R.,
Whitbeck Les B.,
Cauce Ana Mari
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/1532-7795.00008
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , psychology , dysfunctional family , developmental psychology , child abuse , human sexuality , clinical psychology , poison control , injury prevention , medicine , environmental health , gender studies , sociology
Path analysis was used to investigate the impact of childhood sexual abuse on later sexual victimization among 372 homeless and runaway youth in Seattle. Young people were interviewed directly on the streets and in shelters by outreach workers in youth service agencies. High rates of both childhood sexual abuse and street sexual victimization were reported, with females experiencing much greater rates compared with their male counterparts. Early sexual abuse in the home increased the likelihood of later sexual victimization on the streets indirectly by increasing the amount of time at risk, deviant peer affiliations, participating in deviant subsistence strategies, and engaging in survival sex. These findings suggest that exposure to dysfunctional and disorganized homes place youth on trajectories for early independence. Subsequently, street life and participation in high‐risk behaviors increases their probability of sexual victimization.