A major study of child abuse and homosexuality revisited
The role of child sexual abuse in sexual orientation has received some attention lately. In January, of this year, a prospective study demonstrated that child sexual abuse was associated with ever engaging in adult homosexual behavior for males but not for females. The study by Widom and Wilson demonstrated that physical abuse or neglect did not associate with homosexuality, nor did sexual abuse predict same-sex cohabitation or current sexual partner. In other words, measures of behavior (living with a same-sex partner ever, or living with one in the last year) that would be more reflective of orientation were not associated with histories of child sexual abuse. For males, ever engaging in homosexual behavior, however, was associated with sexual abuse. Many observers are not surprised by this finding which indicates that sexual behavior is associated with past abuse but enduring orientation may not be.
Prospective studies are quite valuable since they help control for loss of memory, reconstructed memories, self-report issues relating to abuse and other sources of bias. This study used court records and followed up the abused persons 30 years after the fact.
In evangelical circles, sexual abuse is frequently offered as a major cause of homosexuality, if not the major cause. NARTH often points to the traumatic experience as an important factor. Recently, Focus on the Family promoted a paper by Jeff Johnston on the topic. Cited by Dean Byrd in that paper and often cited in this context is a study based on a 2000 doctoral dissertation by Marie Tomeo, titled “Sexual Orientation Development” and conducted at the California School of Professional Psychology. The journal article based on the dissertation was published by the Archives of Sexual Behavior in 2001 with the following reference:
Tomeo, M. E., Templer, D. L., Anderson, S., & Kotler, D. (2001). Comparative data of childhood adolescence molestation in heterosexual and homosexual persons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 30, 535–541.
The study compared people at a gay pride parade with a straight sample drawn primarily from a university. The abstract reports the highlights:
In research with 942 nonclinical adult participants, gay men and lesbian women reported a significantly higher rate of childhood molestation than did heterosexual men and women. Forty-six percent of the homosexual men in contrast to 7% of the heterosexual men reported homosexual molestation. Twenty-two percent of lesbian women in contrast to 1% of heterosexual women reported homosexual molestation. This research is apparently the first survey that has reported substantial homosexual molestation of girls. Suggestions for future research were offered.
Demonstrating a difference between gay and straight groups on sexual abuse is not novel. Numerous studies have reported at least some difference with only a few reporting no difference in abuse frequency between groups. However, Tomeo did something that was relevant to her overall dissertation topic. She was interested in exploring sexual abuse as a potential causal factor. Tomeo’s prime research hypothesis was that homosexuals would report more sexual abuse than heterosexuals. She also wanted to know when a person identified as gay and when the abuse occurred. This is an important question for studies which seek to attribute cause to abuse. With some people being aware of same-sex attraction at very early ages, one cannot say any subsequent abuse caused their SSA. Simply finding a significant difference between gay and straight groups cannot tell you anything definitive about cause. Here are the first nine questions Tomeo asked her participants:
1. Do you regard yourself as predominantly a heterosexual person or predominantly a gay/lesbian person?
2. If predominantly of heterosexual orientation, at what age did you begin to regard yourself as heterosexual?
3. If predominantly of homosexual orientation, at what age did you begin to regard yourself as homosexual?
4. Before you were 16 years old, did you ever have sexual contact with a woman or girl 5 or more years older than yourself and at least 16 years of age? (YES NO)
5. IF YES, at what age did this first occur?
6. What was your relationship to the person with whom this sexual contact occurred?
7. Before you were 16 years old, did you ever have sexual contact with a man or boy 5 or more years older than yourself and at least 16 years of age? (YES NO)
8. IF YES, at what age did this first occur?
9. What was your relationship to the person with whom this sexual contact occurred?
For a study of causation, these questions clearly have their limitations. For one thing, when one regards oneself as homosexual probably occurs later (sometimes much later) than awareness of same-sex attraction. Perhaps one could offer a theory of identity formation which includes sexual abuse but such a theory would not of necessity be a theory of how one’s attractions take the direction they do.
In Tomeo’s reporting of her study in both the dissertation and the journal article, however, there is a much larger concern. There are contradictions in the paper and the dissertation between the results sections and the discussion sections. A crucial problem is the inability to be certain about when the abuse occurred – before or after awareness of same-sex attraction. In the Archives of Sexual Behavior article, the following statement is made on pages 540-541 (this same statement is identical to her closing discussion in the dissertation):
Sixty-eight percent of the present homosexual male participants and 38% of the present homosexual female participants (68 and 36%, respectively, if including just the homosexual fair participants) did not identify as homosexual until after the molestation. This suggests that if molestation resulted in homosexuality, this phenomenon occurs in a greater proportion of male homosexuals. It may not, however, be a casual factor in either gender. Perhaps children or adolescents with a higher potential for homosexual behavior are more likely to enter a situation that leads to same-sex molestation. It must also be borne in mind that the present homosexual participants may not be representative of homosexual persons. The overwhelming preponderance of homosexual participants was in the gay pride group. There were only three homosexual men and seven homosexual women in the college group.
The clear implication in this discussion section is that the frequency of homosexual identification was a consequence of the abuse. However, in the table which reported the data regarding timing of identification, the authors report the same percentage of males who reported identification as gay before the abuse. Table II on page 538 reports (click the link for a clearer view):
Something is not right here. The numbers for females add up to 100% but the male numbers are contradictory. If the table is correct, then the case for causation from this study is somewhat compromised. The table indicates that 68% of men identified as homosexual before their molestation experience.
My colleague Gary Welton and I first discovered this discrepancy nearly three years ago while preparing a scholarly article on the effects sizes of various suggested correlates of homosexuality (one which will be published later this year or early next year). At that time, I contacted Donald Templer, one of the co-authors and advisor to first author Marie Tomeo. I then contacted him again recently in preparation for this post. He has been unable to locate Dr. Tomeo to get clarification. I hope Dr. Tomeo can at some point clarify these matters.
Recently, I ordered the dissertation to check the original study. However, there are discrepancies in this document as well. First, here are the relevant research questions with results.
From page 36 of Marie Tomeo’s dissertation:
The 10th research question addressed, of homosexual women who were molested, what percentage were molested before self-identification as a homosexual woman and what percentage were molested after self-identification as a homosexual woman? Of homosexual women who were molested, 62% were molested before self-identification as a homosexual woman, and 38% were molested after self-identification as a homosexual woman.
On page 37, the other relevant result relates to men.
The 13th research question addressed, of homosexual men who have been molested, what percentage were molested before self-identification as homosexual men, and what percentage were molested after self-identification as homosexual? Of homosexual men who were molested, 68% were molested before self-identification as homosexual, and 32% were molested after self-identification as homosexual.
These results are at odds with the discussion sections of the dissertation and the journal. They are also at odds with the Table from the journal article. For what its worth, Dr. Templer thinks the correct data are in the Table from the journal article.
The bottom line is that the study should not be cited until a follow up correction can be made. The main results — gays report more abuse than straights — may indeed be correct, given the similarity to past studies. However, I do not believe any inferences about causation should be made. Without the actual surveys, there is no way a reader can figure out the results from the journal article and/or the dissertation.
One final thought, the research on sexual abuse among GLBT populations is often misused to make inferences about causation. There are many reasons why this line of research is important but causation is not at the top. Sexual abuse is a profoundly disruptive experience for many people and may contribute to a variety of negative outcomes in adulthood. Finding appropriate clinical and ministry responses may be clouded by focusing on the trauma as a cause of same-sex attraction.
If I am understanding this correctly, it seems like it would be a given that people would say they experienced molestation first. Then at an older age identified as gay. Aren’t most people first molested when they are fairly young? How many five year olds who are molested will already be identifying as gay? Most youth first recognize their SSA around 13 (at least for boys), right? And for women, the identification as gay can be much later in life. So of course, the molestation would occur first. Am I missing something?
Is this all abuse or do gays report more same-sex abuse than straights?
I interpret it similarly, FWIW. I have to add, however, that I sensed my own gender nonconformity at an age earlier than I was molested. I am in no wise qualified to interpret what all that means. How did each act upon the other? What else factored in? Certainly parental influences did in my case. The complexities boggle the mind. But I am content not to have all the answers. I know who I am.
I would say that you may be missing the fact that “abuse” as defined by this study was any sexual contact before the age of 16, not the age of 13.
Karen – You have hit on the problem for this study as a study of etiology of SSA.
Timothy – Studies vary, but I believe most abuse is perpetrated by males and so for men, it would be same-sex abuse.
And here we have yet another causation stereotype that doesn’t apply to me. A good childhood relationship with my father, no molestation, no peer rejection, and definitely no soy.
Warren, you seem to be saying above that one can have sexual attractions at a very early age, but you do not define “very young.” Shouldn’t you instead be saying that some very young children (me, for instance) can be gender-nonconforming at an early age but could not possibly identify as having actual same-sex attractions or any sexual attractions until at least sometime around puberty?
Also, I don’t know how I could have answered the questions in that survey as I never identified as exclusively homosexual. I believe there are important distinctions between those who do so identity and those of us who had/have same-sex attractions but also attractions for the opposite sex. Gay is an important identity for the exclusives.
I’m confused, Debbie.
Here I though all the time that you had been presenting yourself as an evidence of “change”. Sort of like in this comment you made to me:
And now you tell us that you weren’t ever homosexual at all; you were attracted to both men and women. Interesting.
Well, I don’t know. It’s hard to respond when the story is not consistent.
Timothy, I use the term same-sex attraction far more than I use the term homosexual. I am a woman, and as Warren recently pointed out, it it helpful to acknowledge the distinctions between male and female SSA issues because they are definitely there. You seem to be wanting it to be black and white, but it isn’t. Change for me really encompasses my entire being, but it impacted my sexuality most of all. I have been very open since “coming out” as a former about the nature of my attractions. So your comment (“now you tell us”) makes no sense.
And you are arguing at this point for the sake of arguing. Rather immature, in my book. For some reason, what I say seems to carry a lot of weight in your view. Who am I that I should have that effect on you? I assure you there are a good number of women, both currently SSA and formers, who experienced it as I did.
Debbie,
I just want to point out that you’re trying to have it both ways. You see your “change” as proving something, as making some argument against the civil rights of gay people.
But you also want it not to be black and white.
OK, I’ll accept your testimony about your own experiences. But clearly they say nothing at all whatsoever about the mutabiltiy of orientation or whether the California Supreme Court was correct in identify orientation as a suspect class.
Ugh… I can’t type…
But clearly they say nothing at all whatsoever about the mutability of orientation or whether the California Supreme Court was correct in identifying orientation as a “suspect class”.
Children can be and often are very naive and believe what adults tell them. I was molested by an adult male when I was about 12. He was known to my family. My father was rarely around and he showed fatherly interest in me. I was beginning to be interested in girls, but he told me that I was BORN this way, to have sex with men, that I could never have children and this is how I will always be and that I should never tell anyone about this and what we were doing. He wanted to have sex more often, but, didn’t really want to. But he might tell my parents, so….. . Why was this happening to me? Who was I going to ask about this? What would happen to me if someone, my friends, family, found out about me being this way? This CHANGED MY LIFE, I wanted to die and I tried to take my life, but wasn’t very good at it. When I was about 17, I knew that I had to talk to someone about this, so, who better than to talk to the doctor who delivered me, who was there when I was born. He would know if I was BORN this way. His nurse was always there with him and when I said I wanted to discuss something sexual, he asked her to leave the room and then he asked what this was all about.. Well, I said to the doctor, you were there when I was born, right, so you would know if I was born to be a certain way. He said, what way are you talking about. I said to have sex with men and that I can never have children, well, he turned all shades of red, said that this was not true and demanded to know who told me that, I didn’t want to tell him, but he finally got me it out of me. He knew this person and told me never to see him again and if this man contacts me to let him know. I was now affraid that the man would be angry when he found out that I told and might hurt me. The doctor also referred me to a psychologist and he reassured me that this was not so. However, believing this for so many years already, especially going through puberty, it took much longer, many more years to get over this and it was always in the back of my mind. So, don’t ever, any of you, ever minimize what effect this kind of situation has on a child. Sexual molestation is very damaging to a child emotionally, psychologically, every way possible and the effects may not be known immediately or until much later in adult life. Even today in my 50s, some thoughts go through my mind that I was responsible for this.
Tim- I am happy for you that you had a good family life. I know a few guys who also had a good family life, but developed SSA somehow. we are not clones of one another, we are all individuals and experience things differently. I think that there are also different avenues for development of SSA, including in utero.
It makes no difference what I may want. There is nothing black and white, nothing clearly predictable about homosexuality. All the studies in the world will only crack the surface of this deep ocean. The more we think we know, the more questions we have.
Rick,
I just read your story. I wish we lived in a world where kids, all kids, were safe and protected from adults who would harm them. I am sorry that happened to you.
Rick,
I hear you. Molestation is very confusing to the child that has nowhere to go for answers. I suspect there are more cases of sexual inappropriatness in homosexuals lives but the judgment from others is making confession difficult or skewing the memories. All my girlfriends were molested – yet, to this day some of them deny that it was molestation.
Rick – I want to add that I do not deny the devastation of sexual abuse. You describe a situation which is one of those alternative paths to considering oneself gay. Responsible people, gay or straight, would be glad you got out of that by talking to your doctor and began to reorient your life and sexuality. If I step back from the situation, I would say it seems like you were most likely on a straight track and then was thrown off by this perpetrator. This is not how it is for most SSA people but when it happens, I believe it is crucial to get help for the trauma. Thanks for sharing and I hope you continue to contribute.
You are a complete ignorant idiot. How do explain the fact Jesus Christ was openly gay and crucified for it. Where are you misguided graphs, plots and surveys on that one. Fool. You are a homophobe and a hateful charlatan Warren. Grow up and come out of the closet.
you rationalization would be torn apart if you applied this to heterosexuality and yet you feel so comfortable condemning those that accept about themselves what you cannot. Again Warren, you have no proof Jesus was heterosexual. Everything leads all to believe he was a gay man. Therefore you are a blasphemous creton in your own belief system. You are a disgrace. A hater and a tiny small individual. If it was not so sad, you would be the butt of a joke. Actually you are the joke.
ewe – You need to read the guidelines for commenting. Third strike and you’re out.
Honestly, I have no idea what you are so angry about. This post has nothing to do with Jesus.
Debbie,
While I think studies and research will likely reveal a great deal about homosexuality in the future (probably surprising both of us), on this we can agree.
Debbie,
I think the same can be, and should be said about heterosexuality
Warren,
Thank you!
Warren,
I often wonder if the opposite is true. A young person with SSA is molested by someone of the opposite sex and somehow ends up following a “straight track” only to find that its detrimental to them.
Jayhuck, can we agree that what you are really referring to here is human nature?
Debbie,
I think so.
From the blog Towleroad:
LOL – I can’t imagine that the gay community is anything but thankful for Pat Robertson as much as he helps them when he opens his mouth
“The study compared people at a gay pride parade with a straight sample drawn primarily from a university.”
Wow, ok, this is a huge red flag to me. That right there is likely a biased sample, possibly and incredibly biased one.
[...] A major study of child abuse and homosexuality revisited [...]
Rick,
If you read this….
Your story seems pretty common among men who were sexually abused, and it seems to me that we’ve gone too far in one direction politically when it comes to this issue.
Too much fear, it seems to me, that if we recognize that many, if not most, men who are sexually abused experience at least some doubts/confusions about their sexual identity in some way, that we are therefore saying that all forms of “homosexuality” is caused by psychological trauma.
Frankly, I’m tired of the confusion in the literature between gay identified men and men who do not adopt a gay identity — and may have a life-long difficulty in adopting any identity at all.
Finally, it seems common sensical to me that if you attack a person’s developing sexuality, you actually might make an impact upon that development.
At any rate, my boyfriend/fiance was also sexually abused as a child. He’s a member of an online support group called “Malesurvivor.org”. If you’re not familiar with it, it might be of interest to you.
And not surprisingly, the men who do NOT experience at least some sexual confusion are in a small minority — though many work it out through therapy. And many find that merely seeing the prevelance of this among a large group of sexually abused men helps a great deal.
Take care,
Katie
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