Sexual abuse and drinking and drug use: implications for prevention

Based on a survey of adolescent females in grades seven through twelve in a suburban school system, the relationship between drinking, drug use, and sexual abuse is examined. Using a holistic approach to adolescent deviant behavior, connections between family, peer, psychosocial factors and drug use and delinquency are explored. Girls who report sexual molestation are more likely to have used a number of drugs, different from the prevalence profile of the larger sample. Significant correlations for younger girls between sexual molestation and delinquency are also reported. Implications for school based drug prevention programs are discussed.