Prevalence of Sexually Abusive Experiences in Childhood and Adolescence Among a Community Sample of Latinas: A Descriptive Study

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Latina women
• childhood sexual abuse
• abuse severity
• disclosure 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.