title: A meta-analysis of disparities in childhood sexual abuse, parental physical abuse, and peer victimization among sexual minority and sexual nonminority individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the likelihood of childhood sexual abuse (under age 18), parental physical abuse, and peer victimization based on sexual orientation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a meta-analysis of adolescent school-based studies that compared the likelihood of childhood abuse among sexual minorities vs sexual nonminorities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual minority individuals were on average 3.8, 1.2, 1.7, and 2.4 times more likely to experience sexual abuse, parental physical abuse, or assault at school or to miss school through fear, respectively. Moderation analysis showed that disparities between sexual minority and sexual nonminority individuals were larger for (1) males than females for sexual abuse, (2) females than males for assault at school, and (3) bisexual than gay and lesbian for both parental physical abuse and missing school through fear. Disparities did not change between the 1990s and the 2000s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher rates of abuse experienced by sexual minority youths may be one of the driving mechanisms underlying higher rates of mental health problems, substance use, risky sexual behavior, and HIV reported by sexual minority adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and the Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. msf11@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Marshal
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Guadamuz
authors.forename: Chongyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Carolyn F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saewyc
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001727:Bisexuality; D058445:Bullying; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D014754:Violence