FOCUSING ON SEXUAL ABUSE AS ONE ASPECT OF CHILD ABUSE, THE STUDY EXAMINED THE PREVALENCE OF ABUSE, THE NATURE OF SEXUAL ABUSE, SHORT-TERM INTERVENTION, LONG-TERM SERVICES, THE COURTS, AND PROGRAMMATIC IMPLICATIONS. FIELD WORK WAS LIMITED TO THE BOSTON AREA WHERE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 59 PERSONS FROM A BROAD RANGE OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES THAT DEAL WITH THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN. EXISTING AGGREGATE STATISTICS AND CLINICAL RESEARCH WERE ALSO REVIEWED. THE MOST RECENT DATA INDICATE THAT 282 CASES OF SEXUAL ABUSE WERE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE (DPW) DURING THE LAST 6 MONTHS OF 1978. OTHER EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE NUMBER OF CASES KNOWN TO OR SUSPECTED BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN OFFICIAL DPW STATISTICS INDICATE, AND MANY PRACTITIONERS BELIEVE THAT MOST CASES ARE NEVER DISCOVERED. OF THE CASES REPORTED TO DPW IN BOSTON, 58 PERCENT OF THE PERPETRATORS WERE FAMILY MEMBERS, MOST VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE ARE FEMALE, AND MOST INCIDENTS ARE HETEROSEXUAL IN NATURE. VICTIMS AVERAGE BETWEEN 10 AND 11 YEARS OLD, BUT WIDE VARIATION EXISTS. DESIRABLE INTERVENTION, ESPECIALLY IN IN ONGOING INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP (FATHER AND DAUGHTER), OFTEN APPROXIMATED SUCH GUIDELINES AS ENSURING THAT ALL FAMILY MEMBERS ARE REACHED, THAT PROFESSIONALS HAVE DEALT WITH THEIR OWN FEELINGS BEFORE OFFERING SERVICES, THAT INITIAL INTERVENTION IS HIGHLY SKILLED, THAT LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THAT COURT INVOLVEMENT IS CONSIDERED. STUDY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF SERVICES NEEDS CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT AND THAT DPW DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADEQUATELY PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY LONG-TERM SERVICES. FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. AN INTERVIEW GUIDE AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS ARE APPENDED. (PRG)