Risk factors for development of sexually abusive behaviour in sexually victimised adolescent boys: cross sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors that may increase the risk of a sexually victimised adolescent boy developing sexually abusive behaviour.


METHODS
Sexually victimised boys who had sexually abused other children were compared with sexually victimised boys who had not done so.


METHODS
Social services departments in south east England were invited to refer sexually abused and sexually abusing boys to a London postgraduate teaching hospital.


METHODS
25 adolescent boys aged between 11 years and 15 years and 11 months.


METHODS
Adjusted odds ratios estimated from unconditional logistic regression.


RESULTS
Unadjusted odds rations for witnessing (8.1) as well as experiencing (18.0) intrafamilial violence and discontinuity of care (7.2) discriminated boys who had sexually abused from others who were solely victims of sexual abuse. Only the adjusted odds ratios for witnessing intrafamilial violence (39.7) discriminated the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of adolescent boys who have been victims of sexual abuse engaging in sexually abusive behaviour towards other children is increased by life circumstances which may be unrelated directly to the original abusive experience, in particular exposure to a climate of intrafamilial violence. Our findings have implications for the management of boys found to have been sexually abused and raise important questions about the possibility of secondary prevention of subsequent abusive behaviour in those at greatest risk.
Behavioural Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH. dskuse@ich.ucl.ac.uk
D
D
Skuse
A
A
Bentovim
J
J
Hodges
J
J
Stevenson
C
C
Andreou
M
M
Lanyado
M
M
New
B
B
Williams
D
D
McMillan
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D002669:Child Welfare; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017579:Domestic Violence; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors