In this study, depressive symptoms predicted sexual risk behavior in a national sample of male and female middle and high school students over a 1-year period.

The findings of this study suggest that depressive symptomatology among girls during adolescence is associated with increased risk of subsequent exposure to physical partner violence. Prevention, identification, and treatment of depressive symptomatology among adolescent girls may help to reduce the likelihood of subsequent victimization.

No abstract

No abstract

International Family Planning PerspectivesRecent studies have documented a high level of gender-based violence in Chile and other Latin American countries. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Although there have been some exceptions, 8,9 most of the research to date has focused on violence against women within the context of cohabitation or marriage. 10 Substantially less is known about gender-based violence perpetrated against adolescent and young adult women. This is a concern, as previous research has shown that experiencing sexual victimization during late adolescence or young adulthood can have far-reaching consequences, including unwanted pregnancy and increased risk of psychological, sexual and reproductive health problems. [11][12][13] In addition, analyses conducted in developing countries have found that experiences of sexual violence can limit young women's ability to achieve their educational potential. 14 The present study focused on college students. Approximately 46% of youth aged 20-24 in Chile are enrolled in an institution of higher education. 15 No published quantitative studies have examined dating violence or sexual assault in this population, and campuses across the country lack systematized programs to prevent or respond to these problems.To begin to address this gap in knowledge, we developed the 2005 Survey of Student Well-Being. Administered to male and female students at a large public university in Chile, the survey included questions on experiences with sexual victimization within or outside the context of dating relationships, and with physical and psychological dating violence. The survey also included questions on rape myth acceptance, childhood sexual abuse, witnessing of violence between parents, and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The purpose of the present study was to examine the prevalence of and risk factors for sexual victimization in the female sample, the extent of women's rape myth acceptance and the contexts of sexual assault.* Our analysis was guided by the numerous U.S. studies that have examined factors associated with young women's vulnerability to sexual assault, with the purpose of helping in the design of effective risk-reduction programs and in the provision of clinically useful information to health practitioners. 11,[16][17][18] In assessing risk factors, we considered two primary domains: childhood experiences with violence, and socioeconomic and demographic factors. There is some evidence that witnessing domestic violence during childhood may increase vulnerability to subsequent sexual victimization. 19 The evidence with regard to early experiences of sexual abuse is stronger: Both retrospective and prospective stud- Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization In College Women in Chile