Risk factors for development of sexually abusive behaviour in sexually victimised adolescent boys: cross sectional study |
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| Authors: | David Skuse Arnon Bentovim Jill Hodges Jim Stevenson Chriso Andreou Monica Lanyado Michelle New Bryn Williams Dean McMillan |
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| Institution: | aBehavioural Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, bDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children NHS Trust, London WC1N 3JH, cDepartment of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1RJ |
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| Abstract: | Objective: To identify factors that may increase the risk of a sexually victimised adolescent boy developing sexually abusive behaviour. Design: Sexually victimised boys who had sexually abused other children were compared with sexually victimised boys who had not done so. Setting: Social services departments in south east England were invited to refer sexually abused and sexually abusing boys to a London postgraduate teaching hospital. Subjects: 25 adolescent boys aged between 11 years and 15 years and 11 months. Main outcome measures: Adjusted odds ratios estimated from unconditional logistic regression. Results: Unadjusted odds rations for witnessing (8.1) as well as experiencing (18.0) intrafamilial violence and discontinuity of care (7.2) discriminated boys who had sexually abused from others who were solely victims of sexual abuse. Only the adjusted odds ratios for witnessing intrafamilial violence (39.7) discriminated the two groups. Conclusions: The risk of adolescent boys who have been victims of sexual abuse engaging in sexually abusive behaviour towards other children is increased by life circumstances which may be unrelated directly to the original abusive experience, in particular exposure to a climate of intrafamilial violence. Our findings have implications for the management of boys found to have been sexually abused and raise important questions about the possibility of secondary prevention of subsequent abusive behaviour in those at greatest risk. Key messages - The risk of sexually abused boys in early adolescence abusing other children may be associated with experiences in early life that are independent of sexual victimisation
- Exposure to persistent violence within the family may be a particularly important risk factor
- Management of sexually abused boys should take into account the impact of early life experiences that may be associated with increased risk with a view to the secondary prevention of sexually abusive behaviour
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