Background

Research on child sexual abuse increasingly focuses on sexually offending females; however, there is a lack of research that focuses on the individuals being affected. Studies have suggested that the consequences for those affected by sexually offending males and females are comparable.

Objective

The aim is to compare mental health consequences of sexual abuse perpetrated by women versus men in quantity and type.

Participants and setting

Data was anonymously retrieved from the German-wide contact point “help line sexual abuse” from 2016 to 2021. Details of abuse cases, gender of the offending individuals, and reported mental disorders of the person affected were analyzed. The sample consisted of N = 3351 callers with experiences of child sexual abuse.

Method

The relationship between gender of the perpetrating person and mental disorders of the victimized person was computed using logistic regression models. To account for rare events data, Firth's logistics regression model was used.

Results

The consequences were similar in quantity, albeit different in type. Callers with experiences of female-perpetrated abuse were more likely to report suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury behavior, personality disorders, dissociative identity disorders, alcohol/ drug addiction, and schizophrenia, while people with experiences of male-perpetrated abuse rather reported post-traumatic stress disorder, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, externalized disorders, and psychosomatic disorders.

Conclusions

The differences may be due to stigmatization leading to dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Societal gender stereotypes must be reduced, especially within the professional helping system to ensure support for people who have experienced sexual abuse, regardless of gender.

中文翻译：

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女性与男性实施儿童性虐待的长期心理健康后果

背景

对儿童性虐待的研究越来越关注性犯罪女性；然而，缺乏针对受影响个人的研究。研究表明，男性和女性受到性犯罪影响的后果是相似的。

客观的

目的是比较女性与男性实施性虐待的数量和类型对心理健康的影响。

参加者及设置

数据是从 2016 年至 2021 年德国范围内的“性虐待求助热线”联络点匿名检索的。对虐待案件的详细信息、犯罪者的性别以及受影响者报告的精神障碍进行了分析。样本由N  = 3351 名有儿童性虐待经历的来电者组成。

方法

使用逻辑回归模型计算了犯罪者的性别与受害人的精神障碍之间的关系。为了解释罕见事件数据，使用了 Firth 的逻辑回归模型。

结果

尽管类型不同，但其后果在数量上相似。有过女性虐待经历的来电者更有可能报告自杀、非自杀性自残行为、人格障碍、分离性身份障碍、酒精/药物成瘾和精神分裂症，而有男性虐待经历的人则更倾向于报告自杀倾向。 -创伤性应激障碍、情感障碍、焦虑障碍、解离障碍、饮食障碍、外在障碍和心身障碍。

结论

差异可能是由于污名化导致应对机制功能失调。社会性别陈规定型观念必须减少，特别是在专业帮助系统内，以确保为经历过性虐待的人提供支持，无论性别如何。