The 1984 survey by the national Gay and Lesbian Task Force sampled 1,420 gay men and 654 lesbians in 8 U.S. cities. Nineteen percent reported having been punched, hit, kicked, or beaten at least once in their lives because of their sexual orientation; 44 percent had been threatened with physical violence; 94 percent reported some type of victimization because of their sexual orientation; and 84 percent knew of other gays or lesbians who had been so victimized. In this survey and in other studies, males generally experienced greater levels of anti-gay verbal harassment (by nonfamily members), threats, victimization in school and by police, and most types of physical violence and intimidation than did females. Two studies that examined racial and ethnic differences in victimization rates both found that lesbians and gay men of color are at increased risk for violent attack because of their sexual orientation. The general profile of the perpetrators is that of a young male, often acting together with other young males, all of whom are strangers to the victim. The majority of abusive acts are not apparently committed by persons affiliated with organized hate groups. Anti-gay violence occurs not only on the streets but also at schools and colleges, in the home, and in prisons and jails. The available data suggest that anti-gay violence is increasing in certain areas. 6 tables, 8 notes, and 64 references