Citation

Brennan DJ, Hellerstedt WL, Ross MW, Welles SL. Am. J. Public Health 2007; 97(6): 1107-1112.

Affiliation

School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2005.071423

PMID

17463386

PMCID

PMC1874190

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We examined the prevalence and frequency of childhood sexual abuse and their association with sexual risk among a sample of gay and bisexual men. Methods. Cross-sectional data were collected by survey from randomly selected gay and bisexual men who attended the 1997 and 1998 Minneapolis/St. Paul Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Festivals. Data included demographics, sexual activity, history of childhood sexual abuse, HIV status, history of sexually transmitted infection, use of sex-related drugs (such as crack, cocaine, Ecstasy, amyl nitrate, crystal methamphetamine, and Special K), and history of exchanging sex for payment. Results. childhood sexual abuse was reported by 15.5% of the survey respondents (n = 134). Those who reported experiencing abuse regularly were more likely to (1) be HIV positive, (2) have exchanged sex for payment, and (3) be a current user of sex-related drugs. Neither unsafe sex nor sexually transmitted infections were associated with childhood sexual abuse. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that more than 1 in 7 gay and bisexual men in a non-clinical, festival-based setting were victims of childhood sexual abuse and that childhood sexual abuse was associated with alarmingly high rates of men who were HIV infected and antecedent risk behaviors.

Language: en