s. (p. 409)
Although several psychoemotional and psychosocial consequences are said to be associated with abuse (Finkelhor, 1994), the conducted study is concerned with only one possible consequence, namely delinquency. Specifically, the question that needs to be asked here is: Does the existing literature support the notion that adolescent girls may be at risk for juvenile delinquency as a result of being sexual abused as children?
Regarding this question, there are several studies suggesting that sexual abuse does put children at risk for delinquency. For example, Smith and Thornberry (1995) used data from the Rochester Youth Development Study to examine linkages between childhood maltreatment and later delinquency. Three central issues were addressed: (1) the magnitude of the relationship between early child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) and later official and self-reported delinquency; (2) the possibility of spuriousness in this relationship; and (3) the impact of m
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