Victimization over the life span: a comparison of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual siblings.
Lifetime victimization was examined in a primarily European American sample that comprised 557 lesbian/gay, 163 bisexual, and 525 heterosexual adults. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) participants were recruited via LGB e-mail lists, periodicals, and organizations; these participants recruited 1 or more siblings for participation in the study (81% heterosexual, 19% LGB). In hierarchical linear modeling analyses, sexual orientation was a significant predictor of most of the victimization variables. Compared with heterosexual participants, LGB participants reported more childhood psychological and physical abuse by parents or caretakers, more childhood sexual abuse, more partner psychological and physical victimization in adulthood, and more sexual assault experiences in adulthood. Sexual orientation differences in sexual victimization were greater among men than among women.
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. kbalsam@u.washington.edu
Kimberly F
KF
Balsam
Esther D
ED
Rothblum
Theodore P
TP
Beauchaine
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D017678:Sex Distribution; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires