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Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is a broad term that refers to any act of a sexual nature that is committed by one person (perpetrator) against another person (victim), either against their will or by use of force. Sexual abuse also refers to threats of acts of a sexual nature that a perpetrator makes against a victim. Sexual abuse typically is regarded as a means by which a perpetrator can assert power over a victim in order to demean or exploit the victim. Specific acts of sexual abuse may range from making obscene comments or suggestions to initiating unwanted touching to forcing sexual activity. Although these behaviors are thought to range along a continuum of severity, they are all serious because of potential adverse consequences to the victim.

The terms sexual harassment, sexual imposition, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, and sexual assault have all been used to describe the variety of sexually abusive behaviors on the continuum. At one end of the continuum is sexual or gendered attention that is directed at a person against his or her wishes or behaviors that is considered threatening or intimidating; this is often referred to as sexual harassment. At the other end of the continuum is sexual assault, a term that is often used interchangeably with the word rape. Broadly defined, rape refers to any penetration of the vagina or anus by a penis, tongue (mouth), fingers, or object, as well as any penetration of the mouth by a penis, that is perpetrated either against another person's will, by force, or without the consent of the victim. Any of these behaviors might occur in the context of an unfamiliar relationship or a close relationship or acquaintanceship; they could be perpetrated by a man or a woman and directed at a child or an adult.

What follows is an overview of sexual abuse, broadly defined, with a particular focus on minority populations in the United States. This review is divided into discussions of (1) the prevalence of sexual abuse, (2) general characteristics of sexual-abuse perpetrators, (3) the relationship between alcohol use and sexual abuse, (4) culturally specific factors that influence service utilization, and (5) culturally sensitive interventions for sexual abuse.

Prevalence of Sexual Abuse

Little is known about the relationship between sexual abuse and minority populations, particularly because of inconsistent findings from the few published studies examining such factors. Mary Koss, who conducted one of the most prominent research studies on prevalence rates, found that almost 54% of women reported some experience of sexual abuse and 15% reporting having been raped. In regard to minority populations, 40% of Native American women reported an experience of rape, followed by 16% of Caucasian women, 12% of Hispanic women, 10% of African American women, and 7% of Asian women. In some studies, African American women were more likely to have reported an experience of rape than Caucasian women, but this finding was not substantiated in other studies.

The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse has also been examined. Between 10% and 60% of women experienced some form of sexual abuse as a child. Most research has downplayed the relationship between ethnic background and prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. However, some researchers have found that Hispanic and African American women are more likely to have been abused as children than Caucasian women. In addition, there are other reports that African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian women are more likely to have been abused as children than Asian women.

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