Sexual and physical revictimization among victims of severe childhood sexual abuse

ObjectiveThis 15-year prospective, longitudinal study examines adolescent and young-adult female self-reports of traumatic sexual and physical experiences occurring subsequent to substantiated childhood sexual abuse—revictimizations (N = 89).MethodThese incidences were contrasted to sexual and physical victimizations reported by a group of non-abused comparison females (N = 90).ResultsAbused females were almost twice as likely to have experienced sexual revictimization (odds = 1.99 ± 2.79, p < .05), and physical revictimization (odds = 1.96 ± 2.58, p < .05) as compared to victimization rates reported by comparison females. Abused females’ revictimizations were also more likely to have been perpetrated by older, non-peers and characterized by physical injury than were victimizations reported by comparison females.ConclusionEarly childhood sexual abuse may provide information regarding the level of risk for recurrent sexual and physical victimization.