Childhood sexual experiences and the perception of abuse among Latino men who have sex with men

J Sex Res. 2002 Aug;39(3):165-73. doi: 10.1080/00224490209552138.

Abstract

There is a lack of consensus on how to define childhood sexual abuse (CSA). In this study we explore the perceptions of CSA among men who had such experiences. One hundred Latino men (predominately gay) who had childhood sexual experiences with an older partner (CSEOP) were asked whether they considered their experiences sexual abuse (41 said no; 59 said yes). Those who felt abused were younger when the events happened and were more likely to have been physically forced, physically hurt, threatened, and emotionally hurt. Negative correlates of CSEOP in adulthood were also explored. Men who considered themselves the victims of CSA differed from those without CSEOP in having more alcohol use, unprotected anal sex, and male sex partners.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Child
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology*
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / statistics & numerical data
  • Colombia / ethnology
  • Crime Victims / psychology
  • Dominican Republic / ethnology
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology*
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology*
  • Homosexuality, Male / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mexico / ethnology
  • Middle Aged
  • New York City
  • Prevalence
  • Puerto Rico / ethnology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survivors / psychology