Adult Promiscuity Following Childhood Sexual Abuse: An Introduction

Abstract

Sexual abuse happens to approximately one in three females and one in five males before age eighteen. This abuse produces many behavioral, emotional, and physical problems in adult life. One such consequence is adult sexual promiscuity. Anxiety which arises over childhood abuse may be dealt with by compulsive or addictive behaviors. Repressed or forgotten abuse may manifest itself in adult life symptomatically by out-of-control behaviors which are abusive of self and/or others. Such compulsive behaviors reflect an attempt to gain mastery over the original abuse and the abuser. Keeping promiscuous behavior secret reinforces lhe original abuse pattern and leads to guilt, shame, and isolation. Countertransference issues facing the therapist are discussed. Four case histories show examples of male and female promiscuity following childhood abuse.