Editorial Expression of Concern: Comparative Data of Childhood and Adolescence Molestation in Heterosexual and Homosexual Persons

Abstract

A reader alerted the Editor-in-Chief that there were concerns regarding some of the data reported by Tomeo et al. (2001), namely that data in Table II did not correspond to discussion in the text and that there were minor numerical errors in Table III. In particular, Table II shows that 68% of the homosexual men self-identified as homosexual before molestation as did 62% of the homosexual women, but in the discussion Tomeo et al. (2001) stated that 68% of the homosexual male participants and 38% of the homosexual female participants did not identify as homosexual until after molestation. Readers are urged to take caution when interpreting the content and conclusions of this article. The Editor has been unable to find current email addresses for any of the authors in order to clarify and correct the article. In the dissertation by Tomeo (2000), from which the article was based, it states that “…68% [of the males] were molested before self-identification as homosexual, and 32% were molested after self-identification as homosexual…” (p. 37). This does not match with the data in Table II, where the opposite was reported: that 68% identified as homosexual before being molested nor does it match what was stated in the discussion. For women, Tomeo (2000) stated that “Of homosexual women who were molested, 62% were molested before self-identification as…homosexual…” (p. 36). This does not match the data in Table II, which reports the opposite: that 62% identified as homosexual before molestation. In Table III, in the column, “Molested by men,” the 6.7% value should be 5.8% (12/205). The 45.5% value should be 45.1% (56/124). The 24.3% value should be 24.1% (111/460); the 29.3% value should be 28.7% (44/153). In the column, “Molested by women,” the 16.4% value should be 16.1% (20/124).