Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Childhood Abuse and Sexual Revictimization in a Female Navy Recruit Sample

  • Published:
Journal of Traumatic Stress

Abstract

To examine effects of childhood abuse on adult rape, 1,887 female Navy recruits were surveyed. Overall 35% of recruits had been raped and 57% had experienced childhood physical abuse (CPA) and/or childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Controlling for CPA, rape was significantly (4.8 times) more likely among women who had experienced CSA than among women who had not. In contrast, CPA (controlling for CSA) was unrelated to likelihood of adult rape. Alcohol problems and number of sex partners were examined as mediators. Although both variables predicted rape, their effects were independent of the effects of CSA. Finally, despite ethnic group differences in the prevalence of victimization, the predictors of rape did not differ significantly across ethnic groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, P. C., & Lupfer, S. L. (1987). Family characteristics and long-term consequences associated with sexual abuse. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 235–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann, G., Moeller, T., & Bennett, J. (1988). Childhood sexual abuse and the consequences in adult women. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 71, 631–642.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, J. P., Foulks, E. F., & Childress, A. R. (1982). The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test as a survey instrument. Journal of Operational Psychiatry, 13, 27–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cloitre, M., Tardiff, K., Marzuk, P. M., Leon, A. C., & Portera, L. (1996). Childhood abuse and subsequent sexual assault among female inpatients. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 473–482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Downs, W. R., Miller, B. R., Testa, M., & Panek, D. (1992). Long-term effects of parent-to-child violence for women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 7, 365–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D. (1979). Sexually victimized children. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., & Browne, A. (1985). The traumatic impact of child sexual abuse: A conceptualization. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 55, 530–541.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gidycz, C. A., Coble, C. N., Latham, L., & Layman, M. J. (1993). Sexual assault experience in adulthood and prior victimization experiences: A prospective analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 17, 151–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gidycz, C. A., Hanson, K., & Layman, M. J. (1995). A prospective analysis of the relationships among sexual assault experiences: An extension of previous findings. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 5–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gold, S. R., Sinclair, B. B., & Balge, K. A. (in press). Risk of sexual revictimization: A theoretical model. Aggression and Violence Behavior: A Review Journal.

  • Hartz, D. T. (1995). Comparative conflict resolution patterns among parent-teen dyads of four ethnic groups in Hawaii. Child Abuse & Neglect, 19, 681–689.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilpatrick, D. G., Acierno, R., Resnick, H. S., Saunders, B. E., & Best, C. L. (1997). A 2-year longitudinal analysis of the relationship between violent assault and substance use in women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 834–847.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., & Dinero, T. E. (1989). Discriminant analysis of risk factors for sexual victimization among a national sample of college women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 242–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Gidycz, C. A., & Wisniewski, N. (1987). The scope of rape: Incidence and prevalence of sexual aggression and victimization in a national sample of higher education students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 162–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., & Heslet, L. (1992). Somatic consequences of violence against women. Archives of Family Medicine, 1, 53–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Koss, P. G., & Woodruff, W. J. (1991). Deleterious effects of criminal victimization on women's health and medical utilization. Archives of Internal Medicine, 151, 342–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Woodruff, W. J., & Koss, P. G. (1990). Relation of criminal victimization to health perceptions among women medical patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 147–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malamuth, N. M., Heavey, C. L., & Linz, D. (1993). Predicting men's antisocial behavior against women: The interaction model of sexual aggression. In G. C. Hall, R. Hirschman, J. R. Graham, & M. S. Zaragonza (Eds.), Sexual aggression: Issues in etiology, assessment, and treatment (pp. 63–97). London: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayall, A., & Gold, S. R. (1995). Definitional issues and mediating variables in the sexual revictimization of women sexually abused as children. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10, 26–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrill, L. L., Newell, C. E., Milner, J. S., Koss, M. P., Hervig, L. K., Gold, S. R., Rosswork, S. G., & Thornton, S. R. (1998). Prevalence of premilitary adult sexual victimization and aggression in a Navy recruit sample. Military Medicine, 163, 209–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muehlenhard, C. L., & Linton, M. A. (1987). Date rape and sexual aggression dating situations: Incidence and risk factors. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 34, 186–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller, R. T., Caldwell, R. A., & Hunter, J. E. (1994). Factors predicting the blaming of victims of physical child abuse or rape. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 26, 259–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Keefe, M. (1995). Predictors of child abuse in maritally violent families. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10, 3–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Resnick, H. S., Kilpatrick, D. G., Dansky, B. S., Saunders, B. E., & Best, C. L. (1993). Prevalence of civilian trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in a representative national sample of women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 984–991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rew, L. (1989). Long-term effects of childhood sexual exploitation. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 10, 229–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, D. S., O'Leary, K. D., & Breslin, F. C. (1990). Multiple correlates of physical aggression in dating couples. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 61–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D. E. H. (1986). The secret trauma: Incest in the lives of girls and women. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sack A. R., Keller, J. F., & Howard, R. D. (1982). Conflict tactics and violence in dating situations. International Journal of Sociology of the Family, 12, 89–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selzer, M. L. (1971). The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test: The quest for a new diagnostic instrument. American Journal of Psychiatry, 127, 1653–1658.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, H. A., & Sheu, W. J. (1982). Reliability of alcohol use indices. The lifetime drinking history and the MAST. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 43, 1157–1170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, M. R., & Gajarsky, W. M. (1992). Unwanted childhood sexual experiences relate to later revictimization and male perpetration. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, 4, 57–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Storgaard, H., Nielsen, S. D., & Gluud, C. (1994). The validity of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). Alcohol & Alcoholism, 29, 493–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1990). Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales. In M. A. Straus & R. J. Gelles (Eds.), Physical violence in American families (pp. 29–47). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urquiza, A. J., & Goodlin-Jones, B. L. (1994). Child sexual abuse and adult revictimization with women of color. Violence and Victims, 9, 223–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wauchope, B. A., & Straus, M. A. (1990). Physical punishment and physical abuse of American children: Incident rates by age, gender, and occupational class. In M. A. Straus & R. J. Gelles (Eds.), Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families (pp. 133–143). New Brunswick, MA: Transaction Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. W., & Humphrey, J. A. (1994). Alcohol/drug use and sexual aggression: Distal and proximal influences. Paper presented at XI World Meeting: International Society for Research on Aggression, Delray Beach, FL.

  • Widom, C. S., & Shepard, R. L. (1996). Accuracy of adult recall of childhood victimization: Part 1. CPA. Psychological Assessment, 8, 412–421.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wind, T. W., & Silvern, L. (1992). Type and extent of child abuse as predictors of adult functioning. Journal of Family Violence, 7, 261–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyatt, G. E., Guthrie, D., & Notgrass, C. M. (1992). Differential effects of women's child sexual abuse and subsequent sexual revictimization. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 167–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zung, B. J. (1982). Evaluation of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) in assessing life-time and recent problems. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 425–439.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Information Systems and Operations Research Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, 92186-5122

    Lex L. Merrill & Carol E. Newell

  2. Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115

    Cynthia J. Thomsen, Steven R. Gold & Joel S. Milner

  3. Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721

    Mary P. Koss

  4. Family Advocacy Program, Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC

    Sandra G. Rosswork

Authors
  1. Lex L. Merrill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carol E. Newell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cynthia J. Thomsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Steven R. Gold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Joel S. Milner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mary P. Koss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sandra G. Rosswork
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Merrill, L.L., Newell, C.E., Thomsen, C.J. et al. Childhood Abuse and Sexual Revictimization in a Female Navy Recruit Sample. J Trauma Stress 12, 211–225 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024789723779

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024789723779

Search

Navigation