title: Traumatic revictimization of men who have sex with men living with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: Abuse in childhood has been established as a predictor of adult abuse, with the strongest associations found between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual victimization. Revictimization has been demonstrated among women, and there is a growing literature on revictimization experiences among men who have sex with men (MSM). No studies have assessed revictimization among MSM living with HIV, despite strong evidence for disproportionately high rates of life span abuse among this group, along with the added vulnerability of living with HIV and sexual minority stress. In this study, we contribute to the literature by exploring associations between multiple types of childhood and adult abuse experiences (physical, sexual, and psychological; perpetrated by partners and non-partner), rather than examining sexual victimization alone. A sample of 166 HIV-positive MSM attending primary HIV health care clinics in Seattle, Washington, completed a one-time questionnaire. Results of regression analyses revealed associations between experiencing CSA and adult sexual abuse, and experiencing childhood physical abuse and adult physical and sexual abuse. Childhood psychological abuse was associated with adult physical and psychological abuse and partner psychological abuse. At higher frequencies, childhood psychological abuse was associated with all forms of adult abuse. These findings suggest that various forms of childhood abuse experiences confer broad vulnerability to adult abuse experiences and point to potentially different pathways to revictimization based on childhood abuse type.
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA david.pantalone@umb.edu.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pantalone
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Keith J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.affiliation: Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kaysen
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: HIV/AIDS; adult abuse; childhood abuse; men who have sex with men; revictimization