Emotional Victimization and Sexual Risk Taking Behaviors Among Adolescent African American Women

Background: A history of victimization is associated with higher rates of sexual risk taking behaviors among adolescents. Victimization can occur in various forms including physical, sexual, and emotional. To date, no published studies have examined the relationship between the different forms of victimization and sexual risk taking behaviors among African American adolescent women.

Objective: This study explored the association between emotional and other forms of victimization (physical and sexual) and sexual risk taking behaviors.

Methods: Statistical analyses were conducted on (N=382) participants with an average age of 18.4 (SD=2.7). Participants were part of a larger study evaluating a sexual risk reduction intervention for African American adolescent females. The findings reported from this study are based on data from the baseline assessment collected prior to randomization and participation in the intervention trial.

Results: The results revealed that participants who reported physical, sexual, and/or emotional victimization were more likely to report having had multiple lifetime sexual partners in comparison to participants with no history of victimization. Participants who reported no form of victimization and those who reported emotional victimization only, were more likely to have consistent condom use in the past 14 days.

Discussion: A history of any form of victimization is associated with some forms of sexual risk taking behaviors among African American adolescent women. In addition to addressing the symptoms of physical victimization, practitioners and researchers should screen and address the consequences of emotional victimization.