Objective(s)
This study examined the
abuse prevalence and characteristics, and risk and protective factors, among
both runaway and non-runaway adolescents evaluated at a Child Advocacy Center
(CAC) in Minnesota, which had implemented a referral program to assess runaways
for potential sexual assault or sexual exploitation.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis
of self-report and chart data for the 489 adolescent girls who were evaluated
between 2008 and 2010. Chi-square and t-tests by runaway status compared abuse
experiences, trauma responses, health issues, and potential protective assets
associated with resilience between runaways and non-runaways. Bivariate
logistic regressions explored the relationship of these risk and protective
factors to self-harm, suicide attempts, and problem substance use, separately
for runaways and non-runaways who had experienced sexual abuse.
Results
Runaways were significantly
more likely than non-runaways to have experienced severe sexual abuse, to have
used alcohol and drugs, and reported problem substance use behavior, higher
levels of emotional distress, more sexual partners, and they were more likely
to have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Runaways had lower levels on
average of social supports associated with resilience, such as connectedness to
school, family or other adults. Yet higher levels of these assets were linked
to lower odds of self-harm, suicide attempt and problem substance use for both
groups.
Conclusions and Implications
CACs should encourage
referrals of runaway adolescents for routine assessment of sexual assault, and
incorporate screening for protective factors in addition to trauma responses in
their assessments of all adolescents evaluated for possible sexual abuse, to
guide interventions.
Runaway, n=269 | Non-runaway, n=220 | X2 test | Cramer’s phi | |
---|---|---|---|---|
% | % | |||
Any type of sexual abuse | 75.1% | 78.2% | 0.64 | 0.04 |
Intra-familial abuse | 26.8% | 50.0% | 28.0*** | 0.24 |
Extra-familial abuse by one abuser, only once | 23.1% | 17.3% | 2.48 | 0.07 |
Extra-familial abuse by one abuser, multiple times | 18.2% | 15.5% | 0.65 | 0.04 |
Extra-familial abuse by multiple abusers | 22.3% | 6.0% | 25.6*** | 0.23 |
Gang rape | 3.7% | 0.50% | 5.86** | 0.11 |
Stranger rape | 0.74% | 0.45% | 0.17 | 0.02 |
Prostitution | 5.20% | 0.50% | 9.18*** | 0.14 |
Intra-familial abuse + at least one other SA type | 15.2% | 11.8% | 1.20 | 0.05 |
Intra-familial physical abuse | 23.7% | 16.4% | 4.10* | 0.09 |
*p < 0.05
**p < 0.01
***p < 0.001
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By: Laurel D. Edinburgh,1 Scott B. Harpin,2 Carolyn M. Garcia,3 and Elizabeth M. Saewyc4
1Midwest Children’s Resource Center,
Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA
2University of Colorado College of Nursing,
Denver, CO, USA
3University of Minnesota School of Nursing,
Minneapolis, MN, USA
4University of British Columbia, School of
Nursing, Canada
Corresponding author: c/o Midwest Children’s Resource
Center, Children’s Hospital of St. Paul, 347 N. Smith Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102, Email:gro.nmsnerdlihc@hgrubnide.lerual
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