A specialized team of social workers in Denver, Colo., investigates three to four reported cases per week involving sexual abuse by a child below age 10. These cases demonstrate that the perpetrators have themselves been sexually molested and that they become perpetrators long before the child protection laws either demand reporting or insist on an interview with the child perpetrator, unless parents agree to it. Parent education programs may help address the problem. Such programs should teach parents that explicit sexual behavior in children should be reported, investigated, and discussed; spanking victimized children is counter-productive for their protection from sexual abuse; and most sexual assaults on children come from within the circle of family, friends, and people well-known to the child. Parent/school education should encourage children to tell someone if a person of any age initiates sexual play with them. Parents should be instructed to consult with the school social worker or their family physician if they are unsure of the extent of normal exploratory sexual play among children. 9 references. (Author abstract modified)