title: Prevalence of child physical and sexual abuse in the community. Results from the Ontario Health Supplement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although child maltreatment is considered common, few community surveys have examined the prevalence of more than 1 type of maltreatment among both males and females.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of a history of physical and sexual abuse during childhood among the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  General population survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Household dwellings in the province of Ontario, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample (N=9953) of residents aged 15 years and older participated in the Ontario Health Supplement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered questionnaire about a history of physical and sexual abuse in childhood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A history of child physical abuse was reported more often by males (31.2%) than females (21.1%), while sexual abuse during childhood was more commonly reported by females (12.8%) than males (4.3%). Severe physical abuse was reported by similar proportions of males (10.7%) and females (9.2%). A greater percentage of females reported a history of severe sexual abuse (11.1%) compared with males (3.9%). Age of the respondent was not significantly associated with childhood abuse within any category for males. However, for females, the reported prevalence in childhood of sexual abuse, co-occurrence of physical and sexual abuse, and both categories of severe abuse decreased with increasing age of the respondent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A history of childhood maltreatment among Ontario residents is common. Child abuse may be more prevalent in younger women compared with older women, or there may be a greater willingness among younger women to report abuse.
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Studies of Children at Risk, Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: MacMillan
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trocmé
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Racine
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Beardslee
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Offord
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires