Fact check: Is being gay related to having suffered sexual abuse?

1. Summary of the results

The relationship between sexual orientation and childhood sexual abuse is complex and not definitively causal. Research presents conflicting findings on this sensitive topic:

Evidence suggesting some correlation:

• One study found that sexual abuse may predict a 2.0 percentage point increase in same-sex attraction, though the researchers emphasized the relationship could be bidirectional and may differ by type of abuse and sex ^[1]
• Research on gay and bisexual men found high rates of childhood sexual abuse (50.8%) in this population ^[2]
• LGBQ individuals experience significantly higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (83%) compared to heterosexual individuals (64%), including higher rates of sexual abuse ^[3]

Evidence against a causal relationship:

• The American Psychiatric Association and other studies found no link between sexual orientation and childhood sexual abuse ^[4]
• Multiple sources emphasize that sexual orientation itself is not a cause of sexual abuse, but rather LGBTQ+ individuals face higher risks due to societal stigma, discrimination, and marginalization ^[5]

Current victimization rates:

• Lifetime sexual assault prevalence ranges from 15.6-85.0% for lesbian and bisexual women and 11.8-54.0% for gay and bisexual men ^[5]
• 39% of LGBTQ+ young people reported being forced into unwanted sexual activities ^[6]
• Approximately 90% of LGBTQ+ students who experienced sexual violence did not report it due to fear and systemic barriers ^[7]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial contextual elements:

• Direction of causality: The research suggests that if any relationship exists, it may be bidirectional rather than unidirectional - meaning sexual orientation might influence vulnerability to abuse rather than abuse determining orientation ^[1]
• Vulnerability factors: LGBTQ+ individuals face heightened vulnerability to sexual abuse due to societal discrimination, stigmatization, and biases rather than their sexual orientation being a result of abuse ^{[8] [5]}
• Methodological complexity: Studies using instrumental variable methods to analyze natural experiments show the relationship is far more nuanced than simple cause-and-effect ^[1]
• Mental health implications: The focus should be on how experiencing sexual violence significantly increases suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth, with multiple incidents creating increasingly higher odds of suicide attempts ^[6]
• Reporting barriers: The extremely low reporting rates (10%) among LGBTQ+ victims highlight systemic failures in support services and societal acceptance ^[7]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains several problematic assumptions:

• Implies causation: The phrasing suggests a direct causal relationship between sexual abuse and sexual orientation, which contradicts established scientific consensus from the American Psychiatric Association ^[4]
• Perpetuates harmful stereotypes: This framing reinforces damaging myths about LGBTQ+ individuals that have been used historically to pathologize and discriminate against sexual minorities
• Ignores protective factors: The question fails to acknowledge that understanding vulnerability factors should focus on protection and support rather than suggesting sexual orientation stems from trauma ^[8]
• Oversimplifies complex research: The question reduces nuanced, bidirectional research findings into a simple cause-effect relationship that researchers explicitly warn against ^[1]

The evidence suggests that while LGBTQ+ individuals may experience higher rates of sexual violence due to societal factors, there is no credible scientific evidence that sexual abuse causes homosexuality. Instead, the focus should be on addressing discrimination and providing better support systems for LGBTQ+ individuals who experience sexual violence.