The impact of sexual abuse in the lives of young women involved or at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Girls in the juvenile justice system have high rates of past sexual abuse. To better understand the relationship between sexual abuse and justice system involvement, we analyzed survey interviews with 169 young women involved or at risk of involvement with juvenile justice, comparing girls who experienced sexual abuse with those who did not. Girls experiencing sexual abuse had more negative mental health, school, substance use, risky sexual behavior, and delinquency outcomes. These findings highlight a need for interventions to assist girls who have experienced abuse and efforts to prevent abuse and improve child welfare and social service systems.
Goodkind
Sara
S
Center on Race and Social Problems, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Ng
Irene
I
Sarri
Rosemary C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health