Lewin, T. (1998, June 27). Abuse rate highest for ethnic boys. The Arizona Republic, p. A18.

OVERVIEW

According to the article,

A new study of adolescent boys’ health has found that more than one in eight high-school-age boys said they had been physically or sexually abused, with Hispanic and Asian-American boys reporting the highest rates of both kinds of abuse.

The study found that physical abuse of boys is much more prevalent than sexual abuse. About 2/3 of the physical abuse occurred at the hand of a family member and in the home. Approximately 1/3 of sexual abuse situations occurred in the home; 45% of those sexually abused were abused by a family member. Most of the physical and sexual abuses were recurring.

The study, managed by Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. for the Commonwealth Fund, was based on questionnaires completed by over 3,000 boys, grades 5-12, in nearly 300 schools across America; it was conducted from December 1996 through June 1997. The boys’ responses were compared with a similar sample of girls researched several months earlier. The authors of the study were shocked about the differences between ethnic groups. Notes Cathy Scheon, one author, " ‘We didn’t find those ethnic differences when we looked at abuse among girls, and most of the studies of abuse look at girls, because they have a much higher rate of sexual abuse. But boys and girls have similar rates of physical abuse, and it does look like boys within some ethnic families are more at risk.’ "

Response to abuse varies: nearly half of abused boys had not talked to anyone about their abuse, while 29% of abused girls had not shared their stories of abuse. Additionally, 15% of abused boys had considered suicide; only half as many abused girls had contemplated it. Authors of the study were surprised that boys had no one that they felt comfortable talking to about the abuse. Also, notes Schoen, " ‘Another thing that struck me about boys who said they had been abused is their much higher rate of bulimia, which is so rare among boys generally that doctors could almost look at it as an early warning sign.’ "

In general, boys reported being less likely than girls to talk to anyone when they were "stressed, overwhelmed, or depressed." Boys showing signs of poor mental health were most likely "to lack a support person."

The questionnaires did not define the term "abuse," but it did ask whether the study participant had ever experienced sexual or physical abuse. The following table outlines abuse by ethnicity:

¾ of both boys and girls reported watching television when they were stressed. Yet, girls were much more likely to call a friend, while boys favored spending time on the computer or exercising.

Concerning boys’ health, the study found the following:

• 8 Of 10 boys worked out at least 3 times a week. Hispanic and Asian-American boys were less likely than black or white boys to participate in organized sports.
• Although boys were much less likely than girls to report eating disorders (8% boys to 16% girls), abused boys were four times as likely "to have binged and purged than those who had not been abused." These boys were also 8 times as likely to do so frequently.
• High school boys and girls had similar drinking, smoking, and drug practices, but 5^th-8^th graders were more likely to drink, smoke, and do drugs than girls.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. Do these findings surprise you? Why or why not?
2. Are girls better at hiding abuse than boys? Are boys abused more often?
3. Do girls have better support during difficult times than boys?
4. What can you do when you think that a young person is being abused? What should you do?

IMPLICATIONS

1. It is always important for youth workers to be aware that adolescents are abused. Watch for any signals.
2. Kids will try to hide the abuse. It is shameful and humiliating. Help kids understand that abuse is not their fault.
3. Build relationships with young people who may be abused. Earn the right to be trusted by them.
4. Encourage young people to support and care for each other.