Letters to the Editor
1 Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0381
We appreciate and share the legitimate, heartfelt concern of our colleagues over the damaging effect of sexual abuse, sexual coercion, and early onset of sexual intercourse among adolescents. We strongly concur that sexual abuse in any form has profound effects on the health and well-being of young people, and very early onset of sexual intercoursewhether or not it is defined or divulged as sexual abuseplaces young people at risk for a variety of adverse outcomes.




