Objective: To explore the relationships between the characteristics of childhood sexual abuse and non-suicidal self-injury in nursing female college students. Methods: Two medical colleges and junior colleges were selected in Anhui province. A total of 2 549 female nursing students in grade 1 to 3 were asked to fill a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic information,childhood sexual abuse and non-suicidal self-injury. Results: The reported rate of non-suicidal self-injury among female nursing students in the past six months was 8.2%. Sexual abuse at any time during childhood (primary school or earlier,middle school and high school) increased the risk of non-suicidal self-injury among female nursing students (P<0.05). Exposure to sexual abuse in all three periods was associated with 5.04(95%CI=1.73-14.62) times odds ratio than that of those who not exposed to sexual abuse (P<0.01). Only contact sexual abuse and both contact and non-contact sexual abuse in childhood were correlated with nonsuicidal selfinjury among female nursing students [OR(95%CI)=2.21(1.48-3.29), 3.56(2.13-5.96)] (P<0.05). Two patterns of sexual abuse experiences were identified,including persistent sexual abuse (3.1%) and the other group is occasional sexual (96.9%). Persistent sexual abuse in childhood was correlated to higher risk of non-suicidal self-injury compared with occasional sexual abuse (OR=2.61,95%CI=1.35-5.05,P<0.01). Conclusion The occurrence periods,types and patterns of sexual abuse in childhood are closely related to non-suicidal self-injury in female nursing students.