The present study sought to examine features of sexual abuse cases among a U.S. nationally representative sample of 13,052 children and adolescents, ages 0–17 years. The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence was collected in three different years (2008, 2011, and 2014) via telephone interviews. Information about sexual abuse and assault was obtained from youth themselves (ages 10–17) or caregivers (for children ages 0–9) using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Results indicate most offenses are at the hands of other juveniles (76.7% for males and 70.1% for females), primarily acquaintances, and occurring more frequently for adolescents aged 14–17. Whereas girls are mostly abused by males (88.4%), boys are abused by both males (45.6%) and females (54.4%). In 15% of cases, penetration is part of the abuse. Victims report being very afraid in 37.5% of episodes but not at all afraid in 19.8%. Among 10- to 17-year-olds, 66.3% of episodes are not reported to parents or any adult. Police reports occur for 19.1% of all cases. The results in the present study indicate that children and youth are exposed to sexual abuse and assault in varied ways, which require moving beyond conventional stereotypes of the problem.

Background and aims: Despite its inclusion in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, there is a virtual paucity of high-quality scientific evidence about compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), especially in underrepresented and underserved populations. Therefore, we comprehensively examined CSBD across 42 countries, genders, and sexual orientations, and validated the original (CSBD-19) and short (CSBD-7) versions of the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale to provide standardized, state-of-the-art screening tools for research and clinical practice.Method: Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243; M_age = 32.39 years, SD = 12.52), we evaluated the psychometric properties of the CSBD-19 and CSBD-7 and compared CSBD across 42 countries, three genders, eight sexual orientations, and individuals with low vs. high risk of experiencing CSBD.Results: A total of 4.8% of the participants were at high risk of experiencing CSBD. Country- and gender-based differences were observed, while no sexual-orientation-based differences were present in CSBD levels. Only 14% of individuals with CSBD have ever sought treatment for this disorder, with an additional 33% not having sought treatment because of various reasons. Both versions of the scale demonstrated excellent validity and reliability.Discussion and conclusions: This study contributes to a better understanding of CSBD in underrepresented and underserved populations and facilitates its identification in diverse populations by providing freely accessible ICD-11-based screening tools in 26 languages. The findings may also serve as a crucial building block to stimulate research into evidence-based, culturally sensitive prevention and intervention strategies for CSBD that are currently missing from the literature.

This study captured older people’s attitudes and concerns about sex and sexuality in later life by synthesising qualitative research published on this issue. The systematic review was conducted between November 2015 and June 2016 based on a pre-determined protocol. Key words were used to ensure a precise search strategy. Empirically based, qualitative literature from 18 databases was found. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis was used to generate ‘analytical themes’ which summarise this body of literature. Three main themes were identified: (a) social legitimacy for sexuality in later life; (b) health, not age, is what truly impacts sexuality, and (c) the hegemony of penetrative sex. The themes illustrate the complex and delicate relation between ageing and sexuality. Older adults facing health issues that affect sexual function adopt broader definitions of sexuality and sexual activity.

The mediating effect of sexual motives between attachment orientation and sexual satisfaction and functioning was investigated among 128 couples (N = 256) using the actor-partner interdependence model (Campbell & Kashy, 2002). Actor effects between attachment orientation and sexual satisfaction and functioning, mediated by sexual motives, were found regarding men’s sexual satisfaction, sexual intimacy, and orgasmic responsivity. Partner effect revealed two significant paths in which the greater the women’s attachment avoidance, the lower the partners’ intimacy motivation, which in turn was linked with lower partners’ sexual satisfaction and increased lack of sexual intimacy. The analyses did not reveal significant mediation paths affecting women’s sexual satisfaction and functioning. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing a dyadic perspective on sexuality within practice. Recommendations for further research and additional clinical implications are discussed.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is strongly associated with sexual dysfunction. However, research about male survivors’ sexual functioning after CSA is lacking. The current systematic review searched for all studies that reported on CSA and sexual function among male survivors to answer the following questions: Do male survivors of CSA experience sexual dysfunctions, and if so, to what extent? Does CSA increase the risk of developing sexual dysfunctions in adulthood among men? Studies were identified by searching seven databases and sources of gray literature. The selection criteria included empirical studies involving a population of adult men who experienced CSA before the age of 18. Studies focused on sexual functioning and sexual development after the abuse. Twelve studies met the selection criteria. While some studies confirmed that CSA is a risk factor for sexual dysfunction in adult male survivors, including low sexual drive, problems with arousal, and difficulties with orgasm and pain, other studies failed to find a correlation between sexual dysfunction and CSA. The wide range in quality, methodology, and definitions of CSA and sexual function presented challenges to consistent analysis of the studies and to determine the impact of CSA. Further research is required to fully understand the effect of CSA on adult men’s sexual function.