Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence: A Latent Class Analysis on Victimization Co-Occurrence and Self-Capacities Outcomes Among Women Seeking Sex Therapy

Childhood sexual abuse is a significant public health issue associated with an increased risk of revictimization. Although the scientific literature has identified distinct victimization trajectories among women survivors, little is known about potential classes or profiles within clinical samples, and how these classes may differ in terms of survivors’ self-capacities (i.e. affect, identity, and relationship functioning). This study aimed to identify classes of interpersonal victimization based on four indicators (i.e. childhood sexual abuse, adult sexual assault, sexual and physical intimate partner violence) among adult women consulting in sex therapy (n = 628). Results of latent class analyses identified three classes: Intimate Partner Victimization (10.7%), Adult Sexual Victimization (38.7%), and Few Victimization Experiences (50.6%). Women in the first class all reported physical intimate partner violence, women in the second class all reported adult sexual assault, and women in the third class reported the lowest numbers of victimization experiences compared to the other two classes. Results showed differences between the classes on altered self-capacities as outcomes. More precisely, women in the Intimate Partner Revictimization class reported significantly higher affect dysregulation and interpersonal conflicts than participants in the other two classes. Findings suggest that altered self-capacities may represent vulnerability factors contributing to the perpetuation of the cycle of revictimization among survivors of childhood sexual abuse.