[Base] [Index]

Risc Factors

Finkelhor 1984 lists the following risc factors:

Stepfather
Ever live without mother
Not close to mother
Mother never finished high school
Sex-punitive mother
No physical affection from father
Income under $10,000
2 friends or less in childhood

He mentions that the "presence of each additional factor increased a child's vulnerability between 10% and 20%. The relationship is fairly linear and quite dramatic."

Fleming 1997 writes: "The variables significantly associated with CSA were physical abuse, having a mother who was mentally ill, not having someone to confide in, and being socially isolated. With the exception of physical abuse, different predictors emerged for abuse before and after age 12. Social isolation and experiencing the death of a mother were significant predictors for abuse before age 12, while the predictors of CSA after age 12 were physical abuse and a mentally ill mother. For abuse perpetrated by a family member, the significant predictors of CSA were physical abuse, having no one to confide in, having no caring female adult, and having an alcoholic father. For girls abused by someone outside of the family, the significant predictors were physical abuse, social isolation, mother's death, and having an alcoholic mother."

Richter-Appelt 1996 mentions "the relevance of socioeconomic and family factors". "Especially in the groups of sexually abused children, lack of demarcation and intense control were univariate significant". "Rewards and appreciations were rare in the groups of physically maltreated children but especially frequent in sexually abused children".