The Incidence of Victimization Experiences in a Bulimic Sample

The striking similarity between female bulimics and physically victimized women on their coping patterns, defenses, behavioral history, and affect led to the current investigation of the incidence of physical victimization experiences in an outpatient sample of 172 bulimic women. The women completed both a questionnaire and interview in which information on the incidence of four categories of physical victimization (rape, sexual molestation, physical abuse as a child, and battery) were investigated. The majority of women (66%) interviewed had been physically victimized: 23% were raped, 29% were sexually molested, 29% were physically abused, and 23% were battered. Parallels are drawn between behaviors and symptoms observed in the bulimic and patterns observed in victims of physical assault and molestation. Reasons for the underreporting of victimization experiences are discussed.