CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND ADULT SEXUAL REVICTIMIZATION

to differbetween White and Blackwomen (Urquiza & Goodlin~Jones,1994;
Wyatt, 1985). However, poverty and being a member of a racial minority
group have been associated with higher rates of revictimization in some
samples (Kilpatrick, Resnick, Saunders, & Best, 1998). Other studies have
indicated no differences in rates of revictimization based on race (Wyatt et
al., 1992). Data from the National Violence Against Women study (Tjaden
& Thoennes, 2000) reveal the importance of racial status in assessingfor
victimization history. Comparisons of White and non~White women (a
group comprising African American, American Indian or Alaska Native,
Asian or Pacific Islander, and mixed~racewomen) indicated no significant
differences in the prevalence of rape, physical assault, stalking, or child~
hood physical assault. However, American Indian or Alaska Native women
were significantly more likely than other groups to report rape or stalking,
women of mixed race were more likely to report history of rape than White
women, and Hispanic women were less likely to report rape than non~His~
panic women.
Several studies have found that lower socioeconomic status is associ~
ated with increased risk of assault. For instance, Byrne et aI. (1999) found
that women with incomes below poverty level and newly divorced women
were at a significant increased risk of new or repeat future victimization.
Consistent with these findings, Bassuket al. (1996) found substantially el~
evated prevalenceof sexualor physicalassaulthistoriesamonghomeless(92%)
and low~incomehoused women (82%). Clearly, there is a need for addi~
tional research to examine associations among demographic factors, differ~
ent types of assault, and different categories of perpetrators. In addition, po~
tential mediating variables should be included in such studies to gain a better
understanding of potential mechanisms by which demographic variablesmay
relate to victimization.
A final area of future research is to examine the interactions between
violent incidents that an individual may experience over time. At this point
most researchers have narrowly focusedon specifictypes of violence, exclud~
ing all others. The majority of studies have examined either sexual or physi~
cal assault, resulting in separate, disjointed bodies of literature. With respect
to revictimization, studies have focused almost exclusively on the relation~
ship between CSA and ASA. Consequently, relatively little isknown about
the potential for child physical abuse to be associated with increased risk for
revictimization. There are a number of childhood or early traumatic experi~
ences that may also contribute to increased risk of assault as an adult. Simi~
larly, there are few studies that have examined revictimization by physical
assault and sexual assault in adolescence or adulthood classifiedon the basis
of relationship to the perpetrator (intimate partner, stranger, acquaintance).
It is highly likely that risk factors for assaultsby strangers, intimate partners,
or acquaintances may differ. Thus, failure to distinguish between different
types of assault and to comprehensively assess multiple types of assault by
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND ADULT SEXUAL REVICTIMIZATION
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