title: Mothers who were sexually abused during childhood are more likely to have a child victim of sexual violence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrent exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) seems to be higher among victims of sexual abuse. In this sense, experiences related to sexual violence can perpetuate within the family context itself in various ways. Here, we investigate the association between being exposed to CSA and having a child victim of sexual abuse.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a sample with 123 mothers, who were divided into 2 groups: one consisting of 41 mothers of sexually abused children and another consisting of 82 mothers of non-sexually abused children. History of exposure to CSA was evaluated by means of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form (CTQ) and we used a logistic regression model to estimate the prediction values regarding having or not a child exposed to sexual violence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers of sexually abused children had significantly higher scores on CTQ, especially on the sexual abuse subscale (SA). According to our logistic regression model, higher scores on the CTQ significantly predicted the status of being a mother of children exposed to sexual violence in our sample (Wald = 7.074; p = 0.008; Exp(B) = 1.681). Years of formal education reduced the likelihood of having a child victim of sexual violence (Wald = 18.994; p = 0.001; Exp(B) = 0.497).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings highlight the importance of a possible intergenerational effect of sexual abuse. Family intervention and prevention against childhood maltreatment should take this issue in account.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Eduardo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Wearick-Silva
authors.affiliation: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Saulo G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Tractenberg
authors.affiliation: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mateus L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Levandowski
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joelza M A
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassi-Oliveira