C. Bagley et al., SEXUAL ASSAULT IN SCHOOL, MENTAL-HEALTH AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENT WOMEN IN CANADA, Adolescence, 32(126), 1997, pp. 361-366
Adolescent women (N = 1,025) in grades 7 through 12 in a stratified ra
ndom sample of Alberta high schools completed measures of emotional pr
oblems and suicidal behavior in the past six months, and of frequency
and type of sexual assault (including sexual harassment) experienced i
n school. It was found that 23% had experienced at least one event of
assault (sexual touching, sexual threats or remarks, or an incident of
indecent exposure); 4% had ''often'' experienced one or more of these
assaults or harassments. Those experiencing a high number of sexual a
ssaults or harassments were significantly more likely to have clinical
profiles on the measures of emotional disorder; 15% of 38 women exper
iencing frequent, unwanted sexual touching had ''often'' made suicidal
gestures or attempts in the previous six months, compared with 2% of
824 women with no experience of sexual assault.