Compulsive weight lifting and anabolic drug abuse among women rape victims.

In the course of a study of 75 female weight lifters, we encountered 10 (13%) who reported that they were raped as teenagers or adults. Nine of these women began or greatly increased their weight lifting activities after the assault to be better able to defend themselves against men. Seven began abusing anabolic steroids and/or clenbuterol to gain muscle mass. Compulsive weight lifting and anabolic substance abuse may represent another form of response to the trauma of sexual assault.