Comparative effects of sexual assault on sexual functioning of child sexual abuse survivors and others

Abstract

This project was supported with funds from National Institute of Mental Health Grant K08-MH00557 and in part by the Biomedical Research Support Grant BR56 S07 RR-05796, Division of Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.

Appreciation is extended to the following research assistants for data analysis on the project: Loretta King, Janet Safford, Susan Sereika, and Beth Snitz.

This study quantitatively and qualitatively examined the effects of sexual assault on the sexual functioning of 37 sexually active women an average of 8.21 years postevent (Mdn = 4.08 years). More than 80% of the sample reported some sexual dysfunction with a partner as a result of the assault. Greatest impairment was reported by subjects who either had a history of child sexual abuse or had no prior sexual victimization before the current assault as compared with subjects who had prior sexual assaults. When data were examined by type of perpetrator, adverse effects were greatest for subjects assaulted by a health care professional. Qualitative analysis revealed that, for the total sample, greatest effects were in the area of adverse feeling states (part of desire dysfunction) as early response inhibitors, with subjects who had a history of child sexual abuse being the only group to report orgasmic dysfunction and guilt. There was no statistically significant difference in sexual dysfunction between subjects who filed civil suits and those who did not. Implications for treatment are discussed.