Psychological sequelae of sexual abuse in childhood.

A questionnaire survey was carried out in one practice to determine the relationship between sexual abuse in childhood and subsequent psychological morbidity. Out of 418 women who replied (62% response rate), 60 (14%) admitted experiencing some form of sexual abuse as a child. Twenty of these (33%) were found to have a record of some form of psychological problem in adult life, compared with 14% of a sample of the non-abused respondents and 20% of the non-respondents. In particular, 54% of 13 women who had experienced oral, genital or anal penetration or attempted penetration had psychological morbidity recorded. There was no relationship, however, between sexual abuse and psychosexual or marital problems in later life.