Risk factors for male-to-female partner sexual abuse

We review the risk and protective factors for male-to-female sexual abuse. Although partner sexual abuse is a low base rate behavior, which can attenu ate correlation coefficients, several relations had moderate effect sizes. Younger (under 30) and older lover 50) women, compared to those between 30 and 50 years old, were more likely to report being victims of partner sexua l abuse, as were unemployed women and women from low-income households. Pri or unwanted sexual experiences (from a wide variety of perpetrators) and th e severity of male-to-female partner physical aggression were associated wi th male-to-female partner sexual abuse. It is difficult to form conclusions from only six empirical studies. More empirical studies are needed to asce rtain the populations most at risk for partner sexual abuse. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.