Lifetime sexual and physical victimization among male veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder.

Because of the high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veteran men and the limited research on victimization in this group, we recruited 133 male veterans with combat-related PTSD from a psychiatric inpatient unit and assessed them for lifetime physical and sexual trauma. Results indicated that 96% of the sample had experienced some form of victimization over their lifetimes; 60% reported childhood physical abuse, 41% childhood sexual abuse, 93% adulthood physical assault, and 20% adulthood sexual assault. In the preceding year alone, 46% experienced either physical or sexual assault.