Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, coping using sex, and adult sexual coercion in non-incarcerated, community-based females

Ecott, Sharni, Aiolfi, Irene, Ó Ciardha, Caoilte (2020) The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, coping using sex, and adult sexual coercion in non-incarcerated, community-based females. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 26 (2). pp. 151-162. ISSN 1355-2600. E-ISSN 1742-6545. (doi:10.1080/13552600.2019.1605625) (KAR id:73777)

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences have been associated with negative outcomes in adulthood, including sexual offending. Using a cross-sectional design, we investigated whether self-reported adverse childhood experiences related to the perpetration of coercive sexual acts among 250 females recruited from the community. Furthermore, we examined whether sexualised coping mediated any potential relationship between childhood experiences and sexual coercion. A Spearman’s rank order correlation revealed no relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sexual coercion. However, adverse childhood experiences were significantly correlated with sexualised coping, which in turn was correlated with sexual coercion. Additionally, there was a significant but small indirect effect of adverse childhood experiences on sexual coercion through sexualised coping. Findings may help researchers to better understand the causal relationship between childhood experiences, sexual coping, and sexual coercion in females.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/13552600.2019.1605625
Uncontrolled keywords: female sexual offending, sexual offending, adverse childhood experiences, sexual coping, sexual coercion
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Caoilte O Ciardha
Date Deposited: 07 May 2019 10:36 UTC
Last Modified: 28 Jul 2022 22:10 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/73777 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.