Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse More Likely To Engage In Risky Behaviors

April 27, 2007 – 4:11 pm | posted in Psychology / Psychiatry, Sexual Health / STDs

Gay and bisexual men who were victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors that put them at higher risk of contracting HIV.

A study of 862 randomly selected gay and bisexual men who were enrolled in a community festival found that almost one in seven had been victims of childhood sexual abuse. Those who reported regular childhood sexual abuse were at significantly greater risk for being HIV positive, were 7 times more likely to have ever exchanged sex for money and were 6.4 times more likely to be a current drug user than those who did not report abuse. However, the victims of childhood sexual abuse were not more likely to have a current sexually transmitted infection or to report practicing unprotected sex.

The study’s authors recommended further research to help determine how childhood sexual abuse contributes to sexual risk taking in gay and bisexual men and the types of interventions that may be most effective. "We also believe that data such as ours reflect the importance of (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) voices in policy development and advocacy to address child sexual abuse," the study’s authors said. (From: "History of Childhood Sexual Abuse and HIV Risk Behaviors in Homosexual and Bisexual Men." Seth L. Welles, Sc.D, Boston University, Boston, Mass.

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health. More information is available at www.apha.org.

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