Families where incest occurs tend to be closed and isolated as well as disorganized. Clients hide the events out of shame, because of total or partial amnesia, or because they believe that disclosure will destroy the perpetrator or family. Victims develop coping strategies such as dissociation to protect their sense of well-being and personal integrity. Survivors have different lifestyles and symptoms and cannot be stereotyped. Behaviors that can alert the professional to explore the possibility of early sexual abuse include learned helplessness; repeated victimization, and chemical dependency in the family. The goal of treatment is to change the client's self-concept from that of victim to that of survivor and to teach the client to protect one's self, but not the perpetrator. 15 references