Sexual victimization of boys by men: Meanings and consequences

Gärtner, Richard

doi:10.1080/19359705.1999.9962210

Cited by 8 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Because sexual abuse affects other dimensions of sexual behavior (Browne & Finkelhor, 1986; Holmes & Slap, 1998) and sexual abuse in particular has been hypothesized to affect sexual orientation (Gartner, 1999; Wilson & Widom, 2010), we retained sexual abuse as a distinct variable. Participants were asked about unwanted sexual contact with an adult before age 18 or with someone when they were too young to know what was happening (Wyatt, 1985).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A fourth explanation is that maltreatment increases likelihood of same-sex sexuality. Four pathways have been hypothesized: (1) maltreatment may cause loss of self-worth and create a stigmatized identity in victims; therefore, maltreated persons with same-sex preferences may be more willing to adopt another stigmatized identity, namely minority sexual orientation (Saewyc et al, 2006);(2) sexual abuse, perpetrated primarily by men, causes boys to believe they are homosexual (Gartner, 1999); (3) sexual abuse of girls by male perpetrators causes victims to be aversive to sexual relationships with men (Marvasti & Dripchak, 2004); and (4) sexual abuse of boys by men “teaches” homosexuality (Cameron & Cameron, 1995, 1996) (see also LeVay, 1996). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?

2012

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Epidemiological studies find a positive association between physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and witnessing violence in childhood and same-sex sexuality in adulthood, but studies directly assessing the association between these diverse types of maltreatment and sexuality cannot disentangle the causal direction because the sequencing of maltreatment and emerging sexuality is difficult to ascertain. Nascent same-sex orientation may increase risk of maltreatment; alternatively, maltreatment may shape sexual orientation. Our study used instrumental variable models based on family characteristics that predict maltreatment but are not plausibly influenced by sexual orientation (e.g., having a stepparent) as natural experiments to investigate whether maltreatment might increase the likelihood of same-sex sexuality in a nationally representative sample (n = 34,653). In instrumental variable models, history of sexual abuse predicted increased prevalence of same-sex attraction by 2.0 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4, 2.5), any same-sex partners by 1.4 percentage points (95% CI = 1.0, 1.9), and same-sex identity by 0.7 percentage points (95% CI = 0.4, 0.9). Effects of sexual abuse on men’s sexual orientation were substantially larger than on women’s. Effects of non-sexual maltreatment were significant only for men and women’s sexual identity and women’s same-sex partners. While point estimates suggest much of the association between maltreatment and sexual orientation may be due to the effects of maltreatment on sexual orientation, confidence intervals were wide. Our results suggest that causal relationships driving the association between sexual orientation and childhood abuse may be bidirectional, may differ by type of abuse, and may differ by sex. Better understanding of this potentially complex causal structure is critical to developing targeted strategies to reduce sexual orientation disparities in exposure to abuse.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?

2012

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“…These theories hinge largely on evidence that sexual perpetrators are typically male and suggest contrasting mechanisms for men and women. As Gartner (1999) describes, boys who are sexually abused by an older male may perceive the abuse as an indication that they are gay. On the other hand, it has been speculated that women who are sexually abused may develop an aversion toward sex with men and feel more comfortable in intimate relationships with other women (Marvasti & Dripchak, 2004).…”

Section: 1%mentioning

confidence: 96%

“…On the other hand, it has been speculated that women who are sexually abused may develop an aversion toward sex with men and feel more comfortable in intimate relationships with other women (Marvasti & Dripchak, 2004). Another hypothesis is that the experience of sexual abuse may result in uncertainty regarding sexual orientation and greater experimentation with both same-and opposite-sex relationships, regardless of ultimate sexual orientation (Gartner, 1999;Gilgun & Reiser, 1990).…”

Section: 1%mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding this relationship would contribute to knowledge about the development of sexual behavior. Findings from clinical samples and case studies (Davis & Petretic-Jackson, 2000;Gartner, 1999;Romano & De Luca, 2001), surveys of men who have sex with men (Carballo-Dieguez & Dolezal, 1995;Doll et al, 1992;Holmes & Slap, 1998;Jinich et al, 1998;Kalichman, Gore-Felton, Benotsch, Cage, & Rompa, 2004;Lenderking et al, 1997;O'Leary, Purcell, Remien, & Gomez, 2003;Paul, Catania, Pollack, & Stall, 2001), and cross-sectional studies comparing self-reports of gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals with those of heterosexual comparison samples (Balsam, Rothblum, & Beauchaine, 2005;Cameron & Cameron, 1995;Corliss, Cochran, & Mays, 2002;Eskin, Kaynak-Demir, & Demir, 2005;Garcia, Adams, Friedman, & East, 2002;Hughes, Haas, Razzando, Cassidy, & Matthews, 2000;Hughes, Johnson, & Wilsnack, 2001;Saewyc, Bearinger, Blum, & Resnick, 1999;Tjaden, Thoennes, & Allison, 1999;Tomeo, Templer, Anderson, & Kotler, 2001) have generally found that adolescents and adults with samesex sexual orientations retrospectively report heightened rates of childhood physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse (see Table 1 for a summary of this literature). However, not all Table 1 Previous studies assessing the relationship between childhood abuse and sexual orientation Prevalence of abuse in individuals with same-sex sexual orientations Bartholow et al (1994) 20.6% Roberts and Sorensen (1999) 1633 F C18 National community sample of lesbian women SA SR Self-identified (L) 26% before age 12 12% ages 12-18 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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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

Wilson

Widom

2009

Arch Sex Behav

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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.

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Psychosocial issues among gay- and non-gay-identifying HIV-seropositive African American and Latino MSM.

Williams¹,

Wyatt²,

Resell³

et al. 2004

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology

134

116

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This qualitative study examined sociocultural and behavioral factors including sexual health, sexual identity, and sexual risk among HIV-seropositive African American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) who also have a history of sexual abuse. Twenty-three men participated in 4 focus groups, responding to conceptually organized questions regarding the relationship between histories of violence and sexual and drug-related HIV risk behaviors for reinfection and transmission. Consensual qualitative research methods were used to analyze audiotaped transcriptions. Seven domains focusing on consensual and nonconsensual sexual practices, cultural and gender-bound beliefs, and social expectations were identified. Implications of these psychosocial issues for HIV-seropositive gay- and non-gay-identifying African American and Latino MSM with histories of sexual abuse in future interventions are discussed.

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Sexual victimization of boys by men: Meanings and consequences

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?

Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?

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

Psychosocial issues among gay- and non-gay-identifying HIV-seropositive African American and Latino MSM.

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