Risk of sexual revictimization: A theoretical model

Survivors of child sexual abuse suffer serious short- and long-term psychol ogical consequences. Sexual revictimization as an adult is one of the conse quences that has been reported At present, there is no theoretical model id entifying the risk factors that result in child sexual abuse survivors bein g at greater risk of experiencing an adult sexual assault. The proposed mod el is designed to integrate existing research, stimulate further empirical work, and eventually aid in the development of a program to prevent revicti mization. The variables hypothesized to play a mediating role in the pathwa y to revictimization include: severe psychological symptoms as a consequenc e of the child sexual abuse, poor coping styles, an insecure attachment sty le, hyperfemininity, delinquent behavior, drug use, and high risk sexual be havior. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.