Several factors impede the progress of research on sexually assaulted children, including the concern of professionals about confidentiality of the data, reluctance of victims to report victimization, and the public stigma which surrounds abuse and creates a conspiracy of silence among family members. In addition, the types of sexual activities children experience must be defined in any valid research effort, and this is rarely done. Related to this problem of defining what is sexual abuse is a belief that sexual abuse is not harmful. Many have argued that the effect of victimization upon children has been exaggerated in the earlier literature. Methodological problems include the reporting biases and small samples involved in clinical observations; empirical research findings continue to be inconsistent and limited because the variables studied and the definitions of the problem often differ from study to study. While all persons are at risk of some form of sexual abuse, adolescents and young adults are at highest risk of coerced sexual intercourse. With regard to other forms of sexual abuse, Glaister found the most common age for the sexual abuse of children to be between the years of 7 and 12. The data indicate that the risk of abuse decreases for young women before puberty, probably because of their ability to act assertively in resisting unwanted sexual activity. Most offenders are known to their victims, and the presence of threats and force are important factors in understanding the dynamics of emotional trauma in childhood sexual assault. A major research objective for the future is to acquire a national program of research on sexual abuse of children. The article provides 55 references.