IN ORDER TO OBTAIN DATA ON THE INCIDENCE AND PATTERNS OF SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING CHILDREN AND MINORS IN EAST GERMANY, CRIMINOLOGISTS AND FORENSIC PHYSICIANS EMPLOYED BY THE EAST GERMAN GOVERNMENT DEVISED AN INQUIRY INSTRUMENT USING QUESTIONNAIRES ON CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE EXPERIENCES OF TWO SURVEY GROUPS. THE FIRST GROUP CONSISTED OF 1286 MEDICAL STUDENTS AND THE SECOND SAMPLE COMPRISED 1013 FEMALE NURSES. RESPONDENTS WERE INVITED TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON WHETHER THEY HAD BEEN SEXUALLY VICTIMIZED AS CHILDREN OR ADOLESCENTS. FURTHER QUESTIONS CONCERNED THE PSYCHOLOGICAL (TRAUMA) EFFECTS OF SEX ABUSE EXPERIENCES, AND THE REPORTING OF SUCH INCIDENTS TO PARENTS OR THE POLICE. BOTH MALE AND FEMALE RESPONDENTS WHO HAD BEEN SEXUALLY VICTIMIZED ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED THE RESEARCHERS' HYPOTHESIS THAT THE OFFENSES HAD REMAINED UNREPORTED, IN MOST CASES EVEN TO PARENTS. HOMOSEXUALITY, EXHIBITIONISM, AND OTHER TYPES OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING INCEST, WERE MENTIONED AMONG THE RESPONDENTS' CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE EXPERIENCES. DUE TO THE OFTEN INADVERTENT PARTICIPATION OF THE YOUNG VICTIMS IN THE CRIMES AGAINST THEM, IT IS A PRIORITY NEED IN ORDER TO REPRESS SUCH CRIMES, THAT POTENTIAL SEXUAL OFFENDERS AND THEIR POTENTIAL VICTIMS BE DETECTED AT AN EARLY STAGE. MORE EFFECTUAL METHODS AGAINST THIS TYPE OF CRIME MUST BE DEVELOPED. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN GERMAN.