ACEs, sexual violence, and sexual health

Adolescence to young adulthood is a prolonged developmental period of growth and emergence into adult roles and independent living. A central milestone is the establishment of close relationships and sexual engagement. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)-in particular, the childhood maltreatment ones-are risk factors that, in the context of intimate relationships, may not function as conduits of resilience but, rather, place youth in familiar victimization contexts, as seen in sexual violence victimization and perpetration and nonoptimal sexual decision making. In particular, the sexual violence impacts need to be considered uniquely by gender, as females tend to be more common victims while male victimization may be experienced with greater violence and stigma due to prevailing masculine social norms.