Resumen
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a type of maltreatment that occurs in practically all countries
and social statuses. Due to the taboo and shame that surrounds it, CSA is a problem universally
silenced despite the important consequences (both physical and psychological) that it has for the
victim and their family. This work aimed to study the correlates of CSA in Mexican women. Our
sample comprised 1058 women ranged from 18 to 73 years (M = 40.19; SD = 10.24). They completed
an anonymous online survey including questions about all the different types of abuse, questions
about who perpetrated it, at what age it happened, and whether the victim disclosed the abuse. Our
results showed that, depending on the type of abuse, from 13.9% to 65.8% of the participants had
suffered at least one episode of CSA throughout their childhood. The first episode typically occurred
between 6 and 12 years old, with the perpetrator being a male. The youngest women reported higher
rates of being shown pornography by a family member, whereas the oldest ones reported higher
rates of exhibitionism by a stranger. Only 31.3% of the sample disclosed the abuse, usually to their
mother or a peer. Differences among the correlates of the different types of abuse, the age of the
victims, and the relationship with the perpetrator are discussed as well as the victims’ feelings of
being believed when they disclosed the abuse.