THE QUESTIONNAIRE (113 QUESTIONS) AND PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH VICTIMS FOCUSED ON THE VICTIMS' EXPERIENCES, THE TYPES OF OFFENDERS, INCEST, SOURCES OF THE VICTIMS' TRAUMA, AND PERSONAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL DATA. THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF 530 FEMALE AND 266 MALE RESPONSES INDICATES THAT NEARLY 1 IN FIVE GIRLS AND 1 IN 11 BOYS WAS SEXUALLY VICTIMIZED IN CHILDHOOD. THE VICTIMIZERS WERE MOSTLY MEN (OFTEN YOUNG) INCLUDING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF THE VICTIM. THE SOURCES OF TRAUMA IN THE VICTMS' EXPERIENCE ARE NOT AS OBVIOUS AS USUALLY ASSUMED. THE FACTORS PRODUCING MOST SEVERE TRAUMA ARE THE USE OF FORCE AND THE AGE OF THE PARTNER. THE STUDY CONFIRMS LONG-STANDING IMPRESSIONS ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF SEXUALLY ABUSED VICTIMS: SOCIAL ISOLATION (AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF VICTIMS ON FARMS) AND LOW INCOME ARE CONNECTED TO VICTIMIZATION. A COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS TO SOME EARLIER STUDIES REVEALS THAT SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION OF CHILDREN HAS NOT INCREASED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS. OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL PHYSICAL CONTACT HAVE STAYED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL, WHILE EXHIBITIONIST EXPERIENCES HAVE PROBABLY DECLINED. THE SURVEY INCLUDES A CHAPTER ON THEORIES EXPLAINING REASONS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE LARGER SOCIETY. STATISTICAL DATA, THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND INSTRUCTIONS SUBMITTED TO THE SAMPLE POPULATION, AND AN INTERPRETATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE EXPERIENCE OF ONE FEMALE VICTIM ARE APPENDED. THE STUDY INCLUDES EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES.