A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS ARE CHILDREN AND THE NUMBER APPEARS TO BE ON THE INCREASE. DATA COLLECTED FROM THE SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER OF SEATTLE, WASH., SHOW THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS HAS BEEN INCREASING SINCE 1973. IN 1976, OVER 25 PERCENT OF ALL CASES REFERRED TO THE CENTER INVOLVED VICTIMS 14 YEARS OLD AND UNDER. ALTHOUGH CHILD MOLESTERS ARE NOT USUALLY VIOLENT, THE CONFUSION AND ANXIETY THAT THEY GENERATE IS GENERALLY OF GREAT MAGNITUDE. THE FACT THAT THE CHILD AND ITS FAMILY ARE OFTEN FURTHER TRAUMATIZED BY INVESTIGATION AND COURT PROCEDURES, IS ATTRIBUTED TO AN INADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING OF CHILDREN AND TO MISCONCEPTIONS HELD BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL ABOUT THE NATURE OF CHILD MOLESTATION. KNOWLEDGE OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT IS SEEN AS CRUCIAL IN THE HANDLING OF SEXUAL ABUSE CASES. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HANDLING OF CHILD VICTIMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) JOINT INTERVIEWING SHOULD BE HELD TO SPARE THE CHILD EXTRA INTERVIEWS AND SPEED UP THE PROCESS; (2) SETTINGS OF THE INTERVIEW SHOULD BE QUIET, PRIVATE ROOMS WITH PARENTS PRESENT FOR THE YOUNGER CHILDREN; (3) INTERVIEWER SHOULD NOT BE IN UNIFORM AND SHOULD ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP RAPPORT WITH THE CHILD; (4) INTERVIEWER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE CHILD'S LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION; (5) CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS SHOULD BE ACCELERATED; (6) IN COURTROOM PROCEEDINGS, THE CHILD SHOULD HAVE A LEGAL ADVOCATE WHO WOULD LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD; AND (7) THE CHILD'S FAMILY SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION. NO TABLES OR REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (MLC)