INTRODUCTION: This study explored factors associated with help seeking among cisgender men college and university students who experienced sexual victimization. METHODS: We used multilevel logistic regression on data fro...INTRODUCTION: This study explored factors associated with help seeking among cisgender men college and university students who experienced sexual victimization. METHODS: We used multilevel logistic regression on data from 33 campuses ( = 4,474 students, 4,674 incidents) to model the association between cisgender men's help seeking and incident, individual, and campus factors. RESULTS: Incident, individual, and campus factors were associated with help seeking odds. Some factors were associated with increased help seeking odds (e.g. perpetrator in a position of power, being gay or having a disability, campus-level racial diversity), others with decreased odds (e.g. drinking before an incident). CONCLUSIONS: Findings have implications for programs and policies. Future studies should attend to the roles of masculinity, power, and campus contexts.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is linked to heightened levels of medically unexplained symptoms. Research indicates that victims of CSA display alexithymia and dissociation symptoms. Alexithymia and dissociation may potentiall...Child sexual abuse (CSA) is linked to heightened levels of medically unexplained symptoms. Research indicates that victims of CSA display alexithymia and dissociation symptoms. Alexithymia and dissociation may potentially contribute to developing somatic complaints in CSA victims. They represent mechanisms through which psychological distress is avoided and could then manifest as physical symptoms like somatic problems (e.g. headaches, nausea, stomachache, etc.). This study aimed to investigate if alexithymia and dissociation are mechanisms explaining the link between CSA and somatic complaints. The sample included 245 children who had disclosed child sexual abuse and 100 non-abused children aged 6-12 years old. Results of a sequential mediation model revealed that the CSA-somatic complaints relationship was mediated by alexithymia and dissociation. This study suggests that intense negative emotion leads children to focus on external stimuli to reduce psychological suffering. To mitigate somatic problems in victims of CSA, treatment should target overregulation of affect, namely alexithymia, and dissociation. In the long term, this could prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing and delay in appropriate interventions.
Socioecological models of bystander intervention suggest that a complex decision-making process is required for a prosocial bystander to intervene, starting with intrapersonal variables of cognition and personality. This...Socioecological models of bystander intervention suggest that a complex decision-making process is required for a prosocial bystander to intervene, starting with intrapersonal variables of cognition and personality. This study investigates how rape myth acceptance, personality, and just world beliefs impact the frequency of positive bystander intention. The study's sample size consisted of 139 college students. Participants completed an online survey in which they read a vignette and indicated whether they would intervene as a bystander at 25 different instances throughout the vignette. Correlational analyses showed that agreeableness and openness were positively associated with prosocial bystander behavioral intention. A multiple regression analysis found only the belief that the world was a safe and good place was predictive of prosocial bystander behavioral intention. The results suggest that bystander intervention education programs should be revised to address just world beliefs.
Sutton TE, Thomas R, Wheeler LA
… +6 more, Bryson GD, Nti Ababio M, Shorey RC, Hopfauf S, Angelino R, Edwards KM
J Child Sex Abus
· 2025 · PMID 39282867
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Sexual minority (SM) men's sexual revictimization (SR; i.e. experiences of adult victimization among childhood sexual abuse survivors) is an understudied topic despite evidence that SM men are disproportionately impacted...Sexual minority (SM) men's sexual revictimization (SR; i.e. experiences of adult victimization among childhood sexual abuse survivors) is an understudied topic despite evidence that SM men are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence (SV) over the life course. This study addresses this gap utilizing a diverse sample ( = 2859) of SM men (age 18-30) from the U.S. Results demonstrated that over 10% of SM men had experienced SR. Further, strength-based (e.g. sense of LGBTQIA2S+ community) and minority-stress (e.g. internalized homonegativity) related factors were examined as moderators of the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual assault victimization (ASAV) in the past six months. One factor emerged as a significant moderator of the CSA-ASAV relationship: perceived discrimination. Practice-based implications are provided.
The online landscape has shifted since the rise of smartphones and social media in the 2010s and altered the way children use technologies. Along with a reliance on computer-mediated communication (CMC) is the concern of...The online landscape has shifted since the rise of smartphones and social media in the 2010s and altered the way children use technologies. Along with a reliance on computer-mediated communication (CMC) is the concern of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). This scoping review provided an updated examination of the prevalence, risk factors, outcomes, and disclosures of OCSE since 2010. Systematic searches were conducted using three databases for studies published between January 2010 and January 2023. Results indicated an alarming prevalence of, and a wide range of risk factors and consequences associated with OCSE worldwide. Many young victims struggled to recognize OCSE as a serious form of abuse. The need to monitor the ever-changing Internet landscape for young users is highlighted.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2025 · PMID 39081011
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The current study evaluates a single-day youth-designed sexual assault prevention summit for adolescents. Attendees ( = 284) completed pre-and post-summit surveys addressing 1) confidence in consent knowledge; 2) perceiv...The current study evaluates a single-day youth-designed sexual assault prevention summit for adolescents. Attendees ( = 284) completed pre-and post-summit surveys addressing 1) confidence in consent knowledge; 2) perceived capability to respond to someone who was assaulted or harassed; 3) awareness of Title IX rights; 4) perceived capacity to get help for a survivor; 5) perceived acceptability of sexual coercion; 6) endorsement of belief that it is wrong to stop sexual activity once it starts; 7) perceived seriousness of sharing nude photos without permission; and, 8) perceived prevalence of false accusations of sexual violence. At post-summit, participants reported increased perceived confidence in consent knowledge, increased perceived capacity to respond to a survivor, increased awareness of Title IX rights, and increased perceived capacity to get help for a survivor. Both perceived acceptability of sexual coercion and endorsement of the belief that someone should not stop sexual activity decreased at post-summit. Findings provide preliminary support for a youth-developed sexual assault prevention summit.
Comparing women's and men's sexual offending patterns in educational settings is a relatively recent empirical endeavor. Accordingly, gender-based examinations of schools' management of sexual allegations are lacking. We...Comparing women's and men's sexual offending patterns in educational settings is a relatively recent empirical endeavor. Accordingly, gender-based examinations of schools' management of sexual allegations are lacking. We address this gap by drawing on a unique administrative dataset from an Australian jurisdiction that captures alleged improper sexual conduct by educational employees. We compare 809 female- and male-perpetrated cases reported between 2015 and 2019 with respect to event, location, victim, and perpetrator characteristics, as well as the ensuing risk management strategies and sanctions. Compared to men, reported women were younger, employed on more secure employment arrangements, and less often had a relevant discipline history. Most alleged event characteristics did not significantly differ based on perpetrator gender. Women's alleged perpetration, however, more often occurred in places external to school and involved more serious sexual victimization of comparatively older male students. After controlling for event, victim, perpetrator, and allegation characteristics there was nearly no support for a gender bias in institutional responses. However, a lack of any action was more often observed in female-perpetrated cases under very specific and limited conditions. Resultant implications for the management and oversight of employee-related allegations are discussed.
Peterson R, Dvorak RD, De Leon AN
… +5 more, Leary AV, Burr EK, Meshesha L, Woerner J, Kaukinen C
J Child Sex Abus
· 2025 · PMID 39067030
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Adverse sexual experiences are highly prevalent among college students and associated with increased mental health symptoms and decreased use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS). The current study developed and val...Adverse sexual experiences are highly prevalent among college students and associated with increased mental health symptoms and decreased use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS). The current study developed and validated a measure of dating and sexual PBS: the Sexual and Negative Dating Inventory (SANDI). Participants (64.28% female, 19.59 [2.90 SD] years old, 68.90% non-Hispanic, 71.42% white, and 76.06% heterosexual) responded to baseline ( = 1,298) and one-month ( = 336) surveys. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling identified a 24-item measure with five-factors: Location Sharing, Assertiveness, Self-Protection, Risk Reduction, and Privacy. The model revealed good fit: χ(242) = 2115.52, < .001, CFI = .977, RMSEA = .077 (90% CI = .074, .080), SRMR = .043. Test-retest reliability revealed acceptable reliability of 0.74 at follow-up. Overall, SANDI showed acceptable reliability and adequate convergent and discriminant validity among college students.
In 2019, the male adjudicated youth (AY) population in correctional facilities was 33% White and 67% minority. Yet, the distribution among male AY charged with sexual offenses (AYSOs) was 55% White and 45% minority, high...In 2019, the male adjudicated youth (AY) population in correctional facilities was 33% White and 67% minority. Yet, the distribution among male AY charged with sexual offenses (AYSOs) was 55% White and 45% minority, highlighting the lack of disproportionate minority contact within the AYSO population. Little research on AYSOs has focused explicitly on exploring racial differences within this population. Using secondary data from 720 AY 11-18 years of age, the goal of this exploratory study was to identify differences in length of detention, presence of clinical syndromes, attachment patterns, and childhood trauma experiences among a sample of AYSOs and AYs by race category. Although few racial differences were identified among AYSOs, study results overwhelmingly highlighted differences between AYSOs and AYs.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 Jul · PMID 39028545
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Technology-facilitated child sexual abuse (TF-CSA), or child sexual abuse that occurs online or through electronic communication, is a preventable public health problem that can be addressed within youth-serving organiza...Technology-facilitated child sexual abuse (TF-CSA), or child sexual abuse that occurs online or through electronic communication, is a preventable public health problem that can be addressed within youth-serving organizations (YSOs). This study is a review of a purposive sample of organizational policies and practices designed to prevent TF-CSA collected from 13 national and local YSOs in the United States. Documents were coded to identify practices to prevent TF-CSA related to YSO activities or YSO staff, volunteers, or participants. Qualitative analysis indicated that YSOs included seven common practices to prevent TF-CSA in their documents. These practices included transparent electronic communication between youth and YSO staff; codes of conduct and online behavior agreements related to youth; monitoring the YSO's online presence; parental controls for youth online activity; safety behaviors for online activity for staff, parents, and youth; parent and youth trainings for youth online engagement and prevention of TF-CSA; and practices to address staff policy violations. Most prevention practices documented by YSOs identified in this study are consistent with emerging literature on TF-CSA prevention. Key gaps include protections for youth from groups inequitably burdened by TF-CSA and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of practices in preventing TF-CSA across settings and populations.
Teacher-student sexual misconduct is a serious instance of child sexual abuse that impacts an estimated 10% of students. We tested whether two effects seen in research about these types of cases replicated across online...Teacher-student sexual misconduct is a serious instance of child sexual abuse that impacts an estimated 10% of students. We tested whether two effects seen in research about these types of cases replicated across online American adult and undergraduate samples: (1) sympathy toward younger students who experience sexual abuse compared to older students and (2) leniency in cases of female teachers engaging with male students compared to other gender dyads. Participants ( = 525) reviewed a mock teacher-student sexual encounter and then answered questions about their views and case-related outcomes. Student age emerged as the most influential factor across all our variables of interest, where cases with younger students were viewed as more egregious than those involving older students. Incidents involving boys who experienced abuse were perceived as more "normal" than those involving girls. We found some support for the idea that there is leniency toward women teachers, but limited support for a female teacher-male student leniency effect. While these cases were viewed to be more normal and acceptable than other gender dyads, there were no effects on the other dependent variables. Sample type effects were also minimal, as our adult sample viewed the teachers involved to be more responsible and student complainants as more credible versus the undergraduate sample.
Garcia A, Crosland K, Reyes C
… +2 more, Del Vecchio M, Pannone C
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 Aug · PMID 38910372
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Literature on human trafficking suggests the vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and child sexual abuse (CSA) changes by the prevalence of certain risk factors (e.g., runaway), trafficker-u...Literature on human trafficking suggests the vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and child sexual abuse (CSA) changes by the prevalence of certain risk factors (e.g., runaway), trafficker-used lures (e.g., isolation), and the environmental conditions present at the time of victimization (e.g., foster care). Often, youth in foster care are at high risk for CSEC and CSA victimization associated with runaway instances. This scoping review aims to identify prevention and intervention strategies for CSEC/CSA of youth who run away from foster care. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were followed to review the literature across two search parameters (CSEC; CSA). An electronic review was conducted between August 2022 and January 2023 across four databases: PubMed, SAGE Journals Online, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. The CSEC and CSA search parameters comprised three domains (sexual exploitation, foster care, and runaway; sexual abuse, foster care, and runaway, respectively). Literature published between 2012 and 2022 was included regardless of the methodological approach. Literature not concerning youth who run from foster care was excluded. Database searches yielded 206 publications for CSEC and 351 for CSA, reduced to 185 and 212, respectively, after removing duplicates. Seventy-one articles were identified, of which, 64 articles (28 CSEC, 36 CSA) were categorized as prevention strategies and seven (five CSEC, two CSA) as interventions. The intersection and dual victimization of CSEC and CSA of youth who run away from foster care are discussed. This paper also discusses applied behavior analysis principles for developing function-based interventions.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 May · PMID 38881157
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In 2017, the U.S. Center for SafeSport launched the first public disciplinary sports registry listing individuals accused of engaging in harmful behavior against child and adult athletes. Our study reviews information fr...In 2017, the U.S. Center for SafeSport launched the first public disciplinary sports registry listing individuals accused of engaging in harmful behavior against child and adult athletes. Our study reviews information from 1,161 individuals on SafeSport's sports registry. Of the individuals on the sports registry, 22% were concurrently listed on the national registry for sexual offenses. Relative to individuals listed only on the sports registry, those on both registries were 4.5 and 1.4 times more likely to have sexual misconduct allegations and allegations involving a child, respectively. Of those on both registries, 31% were on the national registry approximately seven years before appearing on the sports registry. We discuss whether and how public registries represent effective strategies for crime prevention.
This paper examines accuracy, acceptability, and respondent burden of integrated screening to facilitate tailored sexual assault (SA) prevention program delivery in a basic military training (BMT) environment. Trainees (...This paper examines accuracy, acceptability, and respondent burden of integrated screening to facilitate tailored sexual assault (SA) prevention program delivery in a basic military training (BMT) environment. Trainees ( = 5,951) received tailored prevention content based on self-reported sex, sexual orientation, prior SA victimization and perpetration, and past-month post-traumatic stress symptoms. Bivariate analyses examined trainee-reported screener accuracy, acceptability, and burden, including differences by tailoring-targeted subgroups (e.g. men/women). Overall accuracy and acceptability were high (>90%) despite significant subgroup variability. Screening time averaged 10.55 (SD = 1.95) minutes; individuals with prior SA took longer. Missingness increased linearly throughout the screener. Integrated screening is an accurate, acceptable way to deploy tailored SA prevention in BMT. Findings inform data-driven screening improvements and novel applications.
Corbett E, Power J, Theobald J
… +2 more, Hooker L, Wright K
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 May · PMID 38864755
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Sexual revictimization can have a negative impact on many facets of women's wellbeing, yet limited evidence exists regarding specific interventions that support healing and the reduction of further revictimization. This...Sexual revictimization can have a negative impact on many facets of women's wellbeing, yet limited evidence exists regarding specific interventions that support healing and the reduction of further revictimization. This paper will explore regional and rural women's experience of a group-based empowerment program, the Shark Cage program, in Victoria, Australia. The "Shark Cage" program aims to address revictimization by empowering women and girls to build personal boundaries and assertiveness within the context of gender equality and human rights. Data were collected via participant observations across the 8-week program, in combination with semi-structured interviews with participants ( = 11) pre and post intervention. All participants had access to therapeutic support outside of the program. Findings indicate that the program fostered connections among women with shared experiences of sexual revictimization, reducing feelings of isolation. Participants detailed the benefit of developing and practicing skills in reducing revictimization, such as assertiveness and boundary setting. Program learning and recovery was embedded within a network of embodied emotions, social connections, cultural norms and place-based relations that influenced how participants recovery could be understood, processed and addressed.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 May · PMID 38769896
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Research suggests that individuals involved in the criminal justice system have higher rates of childhood trauma, including experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA). Studies also suggest that childhood victimization has a...Research suggests that individuals involved in the criminal justice system have higher rates of childhood trauma, including experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA). Studies also suggest that childhood victimization has an impact on the success of mental health treatment for offenders which may contribute to recidivism rates. Accordingly, policymakers and correctional staff can be better informed in choosing appropriate assessments and intervention approaches when they understand the ways in which prior experiences of CSA impact individuals in correctional settings. This special section highlights four novel studies that advance the research examining CSA in incarcerated populations.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 Oct · PMID 38768427
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Many child sexual abuse prevention efforts focus on the prevention of victimization, through education of children and parents, bystander training, and policies and practices in youth-serving organizations (e.g. requirin...Many child sexual abuse prevention efforts focus on the prevention of victimization, through education of children and parents, bystander training, and policies and practices in youth-serving organizations (e.g. requiring criminal record checks). However, there has been growing attention to child sexual abuse perpetration prevention, targeted at individuals who are at risk of perpetration. We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting outcomes for child sexual abuse perpetration prevention interventions. Only seven studies were identified in our review, with five intended for adults and two intended for children. Four of the five adult studies had significant methodological concerns, precluding strong conclusions from these studies. We concluded that higher-quality evaluations of perpetration prevention efforts are greatly needed. We also identified intrafamilial perpetration prevention, particularly interventions for parents or caregivers, as a critical gap in the literature. Suggestions for child sexual abuse perpetration intervention evaluation and delivery are discussed.
J Child Sex Abus
· 2024 Aug · PMID 38742979
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Women and girls remain substantially overrepresented in the commercial sex industry. While a number of outcomes have been linked to childhood abuse and involvement with the commercial sex industry, there exists a gap in...Women and girls remain substantially overrepresented in the commercial sex industry. While a number of outcomes have been linked to childhood abuse and involvement with the commercial sex industry, there exists a gap in understanding the unique impact of child abuse on child custody outcomes among adult women involved in the commercial sex industry. Drawing from data collected from 107 case files of adult women with a history of commercial sex industry involvement, the aim of the current study was to understand the link between child abuse history, commercial sex industry involvement, and child custody outcomes. Results indicated that among women who reported a history of child sex trafficking, 91.7% reported having endured child abuse. Further, 82.4% of women reported that their children were not under their custody. Dysfunctional family dynamics, substance abuse, and economic and structural barriers endured by these women are explored further, and intergenerational continuity of such traumagenic precarities is considered as a prolonged implication of such issues. Through a trauma-informed perspective, implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.