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Gender Differences in Extrafamilial Sexual Abuse Experiences Among Young Teens

Midwest Children's Resource Center, Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota

Elizabeth Saewyc, RN, PhD, PHN

University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Carolyn Levitt, MD

Midwest Children's Resource Center, Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota

Extrafamilial sexual abuse experiences of young adolescents (ages 10—14), particularly young teen boys, are not well studied. This retrospective chart review study compared psychosocial correlates and victimization experiences between young adolescent girls (n = 226) and boys (n = 64) referred to a hospital child advocacy center. Several differences in risk behaviors and abuse experiences were found: Girls were more likely to have run away, to be truant from school, to report substance use, to have multiple perpetrators, and to have physical findings from the abuse. Boys were more likely to have a diagnosis of attention deficit disorder and to report anal penetration, and rarely disclosed abuse at the time of the incident. Peers were girls' most common choice for disclosing abuse, whereas boys confided most often in their mothers or other adults. These findings suggest sexually abused young adolescent girls and boys need distinct, developmentally appropriate screening and care in school and health care settings.

Key Words: adolescent • gender differences • risk factors • sexual abuse • victimization

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