A new study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School finds that one of every 16 women’s first sexual encounter was forced. Furthermore, the study found that forced sexual initiation appeared to be associated with multiple adverse reproductive, gynecologic, and general health outcomes later in life.
The study of more than 13,000 women ages 18 to 44, found that the first sexual experience of 6.5 percent of the women respondents was forced. The mean age of these women when they experienced forced sexual contact was 15.6 years. The mean age at first intercourse for women with forced sexual initiation was almost 2 years younger than for those with voluntary sexual initiation. Nearly three-fourths of women who experienced forced sexual initiation were younger than 18 years at the time of sexual initiation compared to 60.5 percent of women with voluntary sexual initiation. Nearly 7 of women reporting forced sexual initiation were aged 10 years or younger.
The study found that forced sexual initiation was reported by women of all racial and ethnic groups. The male partner/assailant was usually much older than the girl or woman, which was an age discrepancy not present for those reporting voluntary sexual initiation.
Women whose first sexual encounter was forced were found to be more likely to have an unwanted pregnancy, use illicit drugs, have an abortion, and have gynecological health issues later in life.
The full study, “Association Between Forced Sexual Initiation and Health Outcomes Among US Women,” was published on the website of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. It may be accessed here.