MALE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE - A CASE REVIEW WITHIN A CHILD PROTECTIVE TEAM

A retrospective review of 77 cases of sexual abuse of boys seen for assessment by a multidisciplinary child protection team in Florida collected data on age at time of referral, findings of medical examinations, sex of offender, relationship of offender to child, and type of abuse. The history of abuse was categorized as (1) short-term, (2) intermediate, or (3) long-term. An examination was made of the relationship of length of abuse to (a) suicidal ideation reported by or of the boy, (b) threats by the offender directed at the victim, and (c) a history of recapitulation of sexual abuse. The findings of the review, as reported here, further the momentum of research on male victims of sexual abuse, a category of abuse that is seeing an increasing rate of referrals.