THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF RAPE ON FEMALE VICTIMS; TO CORRELATE THESE EFFECTS WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE RAPE, THE VICTIM'S PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL ADAPTATION BEFORE BEING RAPED, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT TO THE VICTIM; AND TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON VICTIMS' MENTAL HEALTH AND ADJUSTMENT. THE VICTIMS INCLUDED YOUNG CHILDREN (EVEN INFANTS), ADULTS (INCLUDING ONE 84-YEAR-OLD WOMAN), AND A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF ADOLESCENTS. THERE WERE THREE TIMES AS MANY BLACK VICTIMS AS WHITE VICTIMS, AND THE MAJORITY OF VICTIMS LIVED IN LOW-INCOME AREAS. AMONG FINDINGS THAT DISPEL STEREOTYPES ABOUT RAPE ARE THE FOLLOWING: RAPES WERE NOT EROTIC, SEXUAL ACTS, BUT RATHER ACTS OF BRUTALITY AND SUBJUGATION; RAPES WERE NOT CONSENSUAL AND USUALLY WERE NOT INTERRACIAL; MOST RAPES TOOK PLACE INDOORS; AND, ALTHOUGH FORCE WAS USUALLY IMPLIED AND VERY OFTEN USED, THE BATTERED VICTIM WAS NOT THE NORM. RAPE HAD DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. CHILDREN WERE MOLESTED IN THEIR HOMES BY PEOPLE THEY KNEW AND TRUSTED. ADOLESCENTS SEARCHING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES AND FRIENDS WERE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO RAPE AND WERE MOST OFTEN SUBJECTED TO GROUP RAPE. ADULT VICTIMS WERE USUALLY RAPED IN THEIR OWN HOMES BY STRANGERS AND WERE SUBJECTED TO THE GREATEST VIOLENCE. THE VICTIMS UNDERWENT TWO PERIODS OF CRISIS: THE RAPE ITSELF AND THE EVENTS (POLICE INTERROGATION, MEDICAL EXAMINATION, ETC.) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING REPORTING, AND THE LEGAL PROCESS THAT ENSUED IF THE RAPIST WAS CAUGHT AND IDENTIFIED. GENERALLY MEDICAL AND LEGAL AGENCIES DID NOT PROVIDE VICTIMS WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED. IN SOME CASES, STEREOTYPED REACTIONS AND FEELINGS OF SHAME LIMITED THE AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT FROM THE PERSONS CLOSE TO THE VICTIM. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE THAT THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF RAPE ON VICTIMS MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE IMMEDIATE ONES. A READING LIST AND DATA ON RAPE CASE DISPOSITION IN PHILADELPHIA ARE PROVIDED, BUT NO TABULAR DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)