Socialism Vs Social Democracy as Income-equalizing Institutions By

Numerous studies show that survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) suffer as adults from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, and other mental illnesses. As such, the effect of experiencing traumatic events during childhood including sexual abuse can be long lasting. The lasting effects of CSA may also have economic implications. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether a history of CSA affects women's wages and to examine whether such effects are a function of the severity of abuse. INTRODUCTION Over time, considerable effort has been made to understand and predict the long-term consequences of sexual abuse in childhood. Prevalence estimates of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) for women range from 6 to 62 percent, while estimates range from 2 to 11 percent for boys [Walker et al. 2004]. Research has considered the long-term effects of CSA on adult mental health, physical health, and incarceration. CSA is linked to psychological disorders in women including depression, phobias, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dissociation, addiction, and borderline personality disorder (e.g., Widom et al. Only one study has so far directly addressed the link between CSA and adult income. Hyman [2000] examined the effect of four types of CSA on income for a sample of lesbian women. The author found a negative relationship between wages and intra-familial abuse with coercion as well as extra-familial abuse with an unknown perpetrator. No relationship was found between wages and intra-familial abuse without coercion and extra-familial abuse with a known perpetrator. Although a valuable beginning to research in this topic, there are limitations in terms of generalizability, given that the data are comprised exclusively of lesbian women. In addition, the earnings specification did not control for several variables typically found to affect income. 1 This paper examines the relationship between CSA and adult income using nationally representative data, and determines whether the effects differ by self-reported effects of the abuse. Exploring the relationship between CSA and adult income will inform public policy discussions by better understanding the long-term costs of childhood abuse.