Does Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, or Neglect in Childhood Increase the Likelihood of Same-sex Sexual Relationships and Cohabitation? A Prospective 30-year Follow-up

Abstract

Existing cross-sectional research suggests associations between physical and sexual abuse in childhood and same-sex sexual orientation in adulthood. This study prospectively examined whether abuse and/or neglect in childhood were associated with increased likelihood of same-sex partnerships in adulthood. The sample included physically abused (N = 85), sexually abused (N = 72), and neglected (N = 429) children (ages 0-11) with documented cases during 1967-1971 who were matched with non-maltreated children (N = 415) and followed into adulthood. At approximately age 40, participants (483 women and 461 men) were asked about romantic cohabitation and sexual partners, in the context of in-person interviews covering a range of topics. Group (abuse/neglect versus control) differences were assessed with cross-tabulations and logistic regression. A total of 8% of the overall sample reported any same-sex relationship (cohabitation or sexual partners). Childhood physical abuse and neglect were not significantly associated with same-sex cohabitation or sexual partners. Individuals with documented histories of childhood sexual abuse were significantly more likely than controls to report ever having had same-sex sexual partners (OR = 2.81, 95% CI = 1.16-6.80, p < or = .05); however, only men with histories of childhood sexual abuse were significantly more likely than controls to report same-sex sexual partners (OR = 6.75, 95% CI = 1.53-29.86, p < or = .01). These prospective findings provide tentative evidence of a link between childhood sexual abuse and same-sex sexual partnerships among men, although further research is needed to explore this relationship and to examine potential underlying mechanisms.

Risk Factors for the Development of Psychopathology Following Trauma

“…Sexual minorities have been reported to have a 1.6 to 3.9 times higher risk of PTSD compared to a heterosexual reference group [41]. Several studies have found elevated prevalence of both childhood maltreatment and adulthood PTSD in sexual orientation minorities [42,43].…”

Langfristige Folgen sexuellen Missbrauchs Minderjähriger

“…Najman et al [88] ermittelten in einer großen populationsbasierten studie Zusammenhänge zwischen Missbrauchserfahrungen und verschiedenen sexuellen Funktionsproblemen (im hinblick auf sexuelles interesse, erregung, Orgasmus, schmerzen beim Geschlechtsverkehr). Weitere Merkmale, die mit Missbrauchserfahrungen in Verbindung gebracht werden, sind homosexuelle beziehungen bei Männern [150], hyperund hyposexualität [112] sowie spezifische sexuelle Selbstschematamerkmale bei missbrauchten Frauen, die sich u. a. als weniger verantwortlich und moralisch, weniger leidenschaftlich und romantisch charakterisieren [91]. Noll et al [96] berichten ablehnende und ambivalente haltungen zu sexualität, die in der Gruppe der vom biologischen Vater missbrauchten Frauen stärker waren als bei anderen täter-Opfer-Konstellationen.…”

The Impact of Sexual Orientation on College Student Victimization: An Examination of Sexual Minority and Non-Sexual Minority Student Populations

“…Lesbians were victimized at rates of 15.6% to 85%, compared to 11% to 17% of heterosexual women (Rothman, Exner, & Baughman, 2011;Todahl, Linville, Wheeler, & Gau, 2009;Wilson & Spatz Widom, 2010). However, critiques of this research have argued that most of these studies did not discern between same sex victimization and heterosexual victimization, thus making the findings unclear if the perpetrator was the same sex as the victim or not (Waldner-Haugrud & Vaden Gratch, 1997).…”