@article{ref1,
title="Prevalence of child physical and sexual abuse in the community. results from the ontario health supplement",
journal="JAMA journal of the American Medical Association",
year="1997",
author="Offord, D. R. and Beardslee, W. R. and Racine, Y. A. and Wong, Marleen and Boyle, M. H. and Trocme, Nico and Fleming, J. E. and MacMillan, H. L.",
volume="278",
number="2",
pages="131-135",
abstract="CONTEXT: Although child maltreatment is considered common, few community surveys have examined the prevalence of more than 1 type of maltreatment among both males and females. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of a history of physical and sexual abuse during childhood among the general population. DESIGN: General population survey. SETTING: Household dwellings in the province of Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample (N=9,953) of residents aged 15 years and older participated in the Ontario Health Supplement. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Self-administered questionnaire about a history of physical and sexual abuse in childhood. RESULTS: A history of child physical abuse was reported more often by males (31.2%) than females (21.1%), while sexual abuse during childhood was more commonly reported by females (12.8%) than males (4.3%). Severe physical abuse was reported by similar proportions of males (10.7%) and females (9.2%). A greater percentage of females reported a history of severe sexual abuse (11.1%) compared with males (3.9%). Age of the respondent was not significantly associated with childhood abuse within any category for males. However, for females, the reported prevalence in childhood of sexual abuse, co-occurrence of physical and sexual abuse, and both categories of severe abuse decreased with increasing age of the respondent. CONCLUSIONS: A history of childhood maltreatment among Ontario residents is common. Child abuse may be more prevalent in younger women compared with older women, or there may be a greater willingness among younger women to report abuse.",
language="",
issn="0098-7484",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}