REMARKS PRESENTED HEREIN ARE BASED ON THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCES WORKING IN THE STTP AND IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINICS. THE PHENOMENON OF CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT IS NOT CAPRICIOUS, UNPREDICTABLE, OR UNPLANNED. FOR THE MOST PART THE PERPETRATOR IS ALMOST ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO IS KNOWN TO THE CHILD, WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE CHILD, AND WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILD. PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ARE THE MOST FREQUENT OFFENDERS. USUALLY THE PERPETRATOR GETS THE CHILD TO PARTICIPATE BY FIRST APPROACHING THE CHILD IN A NONTHREATENING WAY, POSSIBLY BY PRESENTING THE ACTIVITY AS A GAME. THE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR USUALLY BEGINS WITH EXPOSURE; PENETRATION OF THE CHILD'S BODY FOLLOWS. MASTURBATION BY THE PERPETRATOR SOMETIMES OCCURS. THE CHILD USUALLY KEEPS THE BEHAVIOR SECRET BECAUSE OF THREATS OF PHYSICAL HARM OR PUNISHMENT UPON DISCLOSURE. AT SOME POINT, HOWEVER, THE CHILD WILL DISCLOSE THE SECRET, SOMETIMES BY ACCIDENT AND SOMETIMES BECAUSE HE WISHES TO SHARE A SECRET WITH SOMEONE. AN OLDER CHILD WILL TELL THE TRUTH FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, OFTEN TO STOP THE ABUSE. VALIDATION OF THE COMPLAINT OF SEXUAL ABUSE WILL DEPEND ON INVESTIGATIVE INTERVIEWING, HINGING ON THE ASSESSMENT SKILLS AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVIEWER. TREATMENT OF SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN IS POSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH SOME FAMILY SITUATIONS CANNOT BE REMEDIED, AND IN SUCH CASES THE INTERVENOR MUST FOCUS ON ASSISTING AND SUPPORTING FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH THE SEPARATION PROCESS WITH TREATMENT GOALS FOR INDIVIDUALS PURSUED THROUGHOUT AND THEREAFTER. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, AND MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS MUST PARTICIPATE IN CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASES TO INSURE PROGRAM SUCCESS. INTERVENTION MODALITIES INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL THERAPY, ADOLESCENT GROUP THERAPY, DYAD THERAPY, COUPLES THERAPY, AND OFFENDER TREATMENT.