Abused children more likely to suicide, study showsDeutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) - September 25, 2001
Sydney (dpa) - Sexually abused children are 10 times more likely to take their own life, a landmark Australian study released Tuesday showed. Researchers at Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital tracked the lives of 200 sexually abused children aged between five and 15 over a 10-year period. They found them to have a suicide rate 10 to 13 times that of a control group of others their age. There were no suicides in the control group but three of the abused children committed suicide, 32 per cent had attempted suicide and 43 per cent had thought about suicide. Paediatrician Kim Oates said the study showed the need to treat depression among the sexually abused. "We found many of these young people were depressed and had low self esteem," Professor Oates said. "Many of them had behaviour problems, including brushes with the law, and a high level of anxiety." He warned that sexual abuse was but one of a range of risk factors in youth suicide. "One should be cautious in drawing conclusions that the suicide rate in abused children would always be as high as this, but the study does suggest that sexual abuse is a risk factor for subsequent suicide," Oates said. dpa |