Child abuse & neglect
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We conducted a survey to determine the prevalence, characteristics, and effects of a history of childhood sexual and physical abuse among professionals responsible for evaluating child sexual abuse allegations. A gender-stratified random sample of 1,635 United States clinicians was drawn from the most current national directories of clinical social work, pediatrics, psychiatry, and psychology. We received 656 completed questionnaires, yielding a 42% response rate. ⋯ Both men and women who had been sexually abused were more likely to be in nonmarital relationships than were those who had not been sexually abused. Women who had been sexually abused were less likely to have raised children than were women who had not been sexually abused. Respondents who had been sexually abused and/or physically abused were more likely to believe allegations of sexual abuse contained in 16 vignettes alleging sexual abuse.