Naval Health Research Center the Influence of Survey Methodology in Estimating Prevalence Rates of Childhood Sexual Abuse among Navy Recruits

Surveys that directly ask participants whether they have been abused are likely to derive different results than studies that ask about specific childhood sexual experiences (CSEs) or about experiences with specific types of parental physical aggression, which participants may or may not personally define as abusive. We compared results from the SHIP survey with the results of the confidential Survey of Recruit Behavior (SRB) conducted by the Naval Health Research Center. Rates of childhood abuse varied markedly. SHIP rates were lowest, with 5% of the participants identified as victims of abuse. Using SRB operational definitions resulted in the highest rate of 60%, while SRB self-definition resulted in a rate of 31%. Recruits were more likely to report an abuse history in the SHIP if they had been either physically or sexually abused. Data from all three sources independently accounted for variability in participants’ symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sexual difficulties.