Prevalence of Premilitary Adult Sexual Victimization and Aggression in a NavyBasic Trainee Sample

摘要

U.S. Navy recruits (n = 3,776) were surveyed for premilitary histories of adultsexual assault. They were administered an instrument designed to estimate rates for experiences as victims (women) and perpetrators (men) of attempted and completed rape, since the age of 14. The results show that 45.5% of the women reported being the victim of attempted (9.4%) or completed rape (36.1%) prior to entering the Navy. A high percentage of recruits in this study reported histories of sexual assault. Female victims of sexual assault are at high risk incurring somatic and/or psychological problems that require treatment by health-care professionals. Male perpetrators of sexual assault are at high risk of repeating their behavior. The results of this study suggest it may be cost-effective to develop treatment, education, and prevention programs for military recruits.