Press Releases: National
July 6, 2005
Kaiser Permanente Research: Gender And Sexual Abuse
Female perpetrators more common than known previously; boys abused almost as often as girls
San Diego, Calif. – Working with Dr. Robert F. Anda at the Centers for Disease Control, Kaiser Permanente physician-researcher Dr. Vincent Felitti is author of a study out in the latest issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showing that the genders of sexual abuse victims and perpetrators are less predictable than historically expected.
"Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) occurs on a worldwide basis and although most studies on the long-term consequences of CSA have focused on women, sexual abuse of both boys and girls is prevalent," said Vincent J Felitti, MD, of the Kaiser Permanente, San Diego Medical Center . "An interesting finding of the article is that a significant number of boys were molested by women."
In 40% of the cases researched by Felitti and his colleagues at the CDC, childhood sexual abuse of male victims came at the hands of female perpetrators. By contrast, only 6% of female victims are molested by women . And the male victims of sexual abuse, whether at the hands of female or male perpetrators, suffered the same long-term consequences—into adulthood—as female victims.
"All of this is unfortunately well concealed by time, shame, secrecy, and a social taboo against discussing these matters that have such important long-term consequences for health and well-being," says Dr. Felitti.
Of 17,337 study participants, 16% of the men and 25% of the women reported being sexually abused as children. As Felitti et al have found in other studies, the victims of childhood sexual abuse were more likely to have attempted suicide, to suffer from depression, to abuse alcohol and drugs and to have problems within their marriages than non-victims.
This study is part of an ongoing research project with the CDC, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Work resulting from the ACE study has already appeared in thirty-six medical publications including JAMA, Pediatrics, and other peer-reviewed journals. Participants in the study were enrolled as adults, surveyed about their experiences as children. The studies then looked at the incidence of adverse childhood experiences in participants’ lives and resulting adverse events in adulthood, including alcohol and substance abuse, mental and physical illness, and family difficulties.
Kaiser Permanente has research offices in California , Oregon , Hawaii , Georgia , Colorado , Maryland , and Ohio . Results of research conducted by Kaiser Permanente physicians and investigators have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Permanente Journal, the American Journal of Public Health, Pediatrics, and other clinical journals.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.
