Does childhood sexual abuse increase the risk of mental disorders and transactional sex in adolescence?
Sexual abuse experienced during childhood leaves deep scars that can influence mental health and behaviors throughout life. Recent research conducted with 335 Norwegian adolescents in foster care reveals troubling links between such abuse, transactional sex, and certain psychological disorders.
Young people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, or substance dependence. These abuses disrupt their emotional development and self-perception, making them more vulnerable to subsequent exploitation. Among these situations, engaging in transactional sex—exchanging sex for money, drugs, or other material benefits—emerges as an aggravating factor. These practices, often linked to feelings of despair or a search for control, expose adolescents to further trauma and exacerbate psychological difficulties.
The study shows that childhood sexual abuse is directly associated with anxiety and depression. However, the link to substance dependence appears to operate through an intermediate mechanism: transactional sex. Adolescents who have experienced abuse are indeed more likely to engage in such practices, which in turn significantly increase the risk of substance dependence. These exchanges, often perceived as a form of revictimization, create a vicious cycle where shame, guilt, and lack of guidance accumulate.
The findings also highlight that girls are more affected than boys by these dynamics. Among the surveyed youth, those with a history of sexual abuse were five times more likely to report engaging in transactional sex. While less common among boys, these practices remain a marker of heightened vulnerability.
The psychological mechanisms at play include dissociation, a defense strategy that allows individuals to mentally detach from painful emotions. While this reaction may provide immediate relief, it worsens symptoms of anxiety and depression in the long term. Transactional sex, often motivated by a need for recognition or survival, then becomes an additional source of suffering and dependence.
These findings underscore the importance of early and appropriate intervention for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Breaking the cycle of revictimization and providing targeted psychological support could mitigate the impact of these traumas on their future mental health. Prevention must also involve a better understanding of risk factors and individual experiences to prevent these young people from falling into self-destructive behaviors.
References and Sources
About This Study
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-026-00846-x
Title: Childhood Sexual Abuse and Common Mental Health Problems: Do Sexual Trade and Exchange Mediate the Relationship?
Journal: Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Authors: Marianne Nilsen; Mari K. Gaardholm; Tormod Rimehaug