Runaway youths and sexual victimization: gender differences in an adolescent runaway population

Running away from home has often been viewed as one of the sequelae to sexual abuse. Our study of 144 adolescent runaways finds that 38% of male runaways (n = 89) and 73% of female runaways (n = 55) report having been sexually abused. The impact of abuse is examined by studying, within each gender group, its relationship to the subject's perceptions of sexual activity, relationships with peers and adults, involvement with delinquent/criminal activities, and physical and emotional complaints. The results of assessing the differences between abused and nonabused adolescents show that both the victimized males and females are more likely to report anxiety and suicidal feelings than are their nonabused counterparts. Male victims of sexual abuse are more likely to report physical symptomatology and fear of adult men. Female victims of sexual abuse are more likely to be confused about sex and to engage in delinquent/criminal activities. Discussion focuses on gender differences and runaway behaviors in relation to sexual victimization with the suggestion that differences in the degree of abuse and the sex of the abuser may explain study findings.