A comparison of males and females who were sexually molested as children

Abstract

A 45-item questionnaire was administered to 952 college students. The questionnaire covered the frequency, components, and adult consequences of child molestation in a non-clinical population and provided the basis for comparisons between molested females with and without current sexual problems, and molested females vs. molested males. The male molestation rate was 4.8% with a 3:2 ratio of hetero:homosexual molestation. The female molestation rate was 7.7%. The single significant difference between the two female groups was the negative effect of positive coercion. Significant differences between molested males and females included greater positive coercion and homosexual molestation in males and greater familial molestation and negative consequences of molestation in females. The results were discussed with respect to the role of guilt and the sexual socialization of males and females.