Childhood victimization and subsequent risk for promiscuity, prostitution, and teenage pregnancy: A prospective study

Objectives. This Study examined the extent to which being abused and/or neglected in childhood increases a person's risk for promiscuity, prostitution, and teenage pregnancy. Methods. A prospective cohorts design was used to match, on the basis of age, race, sex, and social class, cases of abused and/or neglected children from 1967 to 1971 with nonabused and nonneglected children; subjects were followed-into young adult-hood. From 1989 to 1995, 1196 subjects (676 abused and/or neglected and 520 control subjects) were located and interviewed. Results. Early childhood abuse and/or neglect was a significant predictor of prostitution for females (odds ratio [OR] = 2.96). For females sexual abuse (OR = 2.54) and neglect (OR = 2.58) were associated with prostitution, whereas physical abuse was only marginally associated. Childhood abuse and neglect were not associated with increased risk for promiscuity teenage pregnancy. Conclusions. These findings strongly support a relationship be tween childhood victimization and Subsequent prostitution. The presumed causal sequence between childhood victimization and teenage pregnancy may need to be reevaluated.