Sexual Risk Behaviors and Substance Use Among Men Sexually Victimized by Women.

Abstract

To investigate whether forced sex of men by women was associated with sexual risk behaviors, and whether this association was mediated by substance use. Data from US men aged 18 years or older at interview in the National Survey of Family Growth 2006-2010 (n = 8108) who reported sexual behavior history. Outcome variables were condom use at most recent sex and number of lifetime sexual partners. Sexual activity covariates included age at first consensual sex and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Alcohol and drug use were the mediating factors. Six percent of men reported forced sex by a woman at a mean age of 18 years. On average, victimized men had 3 more lifetime sexual partners than nonvictimized men (P < .01). Furthermore, victimized men who reported drug use had, on average, 4 more female sexual partners (P < .01) than nonvictimized men. Marijuana (P < .05) and crack cocaine use (P < .05) partially mediated the association between forced sex and number of female partners. Neither condom use nor number of male partners differed between victimized and nonvictimized men. A nontrivial fraction of men experience forced sex by women; some of them have elevated sexual risk behaviors.