Abstract
This study examined the prevalence, severity, and circumstances of self-reported sexually coercive and abusive experiences in childhood and adolescence in a community sample of Latina women (N = 204) ages 18 to 34 years. Results from structured phone interviews indicated that 35% of the women reported experiencing some form of sexual abuse, 31% of the reported perpetrators were family members, and 52% were boyfriends, friends, or acquaintances. Of those who reported an abusive experience, 44% had not disclosed the abuse to anyone; for those who did disclose, 74% reported feeling supported. Findings highlight the importance of including peer and dating-partner abuse in the assessment of CSA and the necessity for outreach to Latina women who may have never disclosed their experiences of abuse.
The authors respectfully acknowledge the participation of all the women in this study. We also thank Jazmine Cuevas, Amber Trigueros-Clemmons, Gina Pimentel, Jenny Chu, Patricia Sanchez, and Vanessa Durand for their work as interviewers. Funding for Dr. Ulibarri was provided through NIMH Grant R01 MH65849-Supp, the APA Minority Fellowship Program Dissertation Award, and a predoctoral position at the Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health at San Diego State University.