Research Article, J Trauma Stress Disor Treat Vol: 4 Issue: 3
Comparison between Males and Females Sexually Abused in Childhood by a Male or Female Perpetrator
Sharon Gil* | |
Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, The Interdisciplinary Clinical Center, School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Israel | |
Corresponding author : Sharon Gil Clinical social worker, Psychotherapist, and Clinical supervisor; senior lecturer; head of the MA and supplementary programs; Head of the unit for treating adult male survivors of sexual abuse, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, The Interdisciplinary Clinical Center, School of Social WorkUniversity of Haifa, Israel E-mail: gsharon@research.haifa.ac.il |
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Received: November 24, 2014 Accepted: May 21, 2015 Published: May 26, 2015 | |
Citation: Gil S (2015) Comparison between Males and Females Sexually Abused in Childhood by a Male or Female Perpetrator. J Trauma Stress Disor Treat 4:3. doi:10.4172/2324-8947.1000142 |
Abstract
Comparison between Males and Females Sexually Abused in Childhood by a Male or Female Perpetrator
The study compared four aspects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) traumatization: definitions, characteristics, long-term negative and long-term positive consequences of the experience. Two-hundred and ninety CSA Israeli survivors were recruited from private clinics over a period of six years, divided into four groups: females sexually abused by male perpetrators (159), females sexually abused by female perpetrators (34), males sexually abused by male perpetrators (58), and males sexually abused by female perpetrators (39). These four groups differed in abuse characteristics (e.g. age at abuse, sexually abusive behavior conducted, and perception of the abuse) and in its long-term effects (e.g. levels of posttraumatic stress, dissociative, and posttraumatic growth reactions). These results indicate the need to develop diverse and more sensitive means of identifying and treating the various forms of CSA.