MOST DATA WERE COMPILED FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED BY LOCAL COUNTY WELFARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE UNITS AND THEREFORE DO NOT REFLECT THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OCCURRING OR REPORTED. THE NUMBER OF REPORTS HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY FROM 1975 THROUGH 1977 AS A RESULT OF THE 1975 REVISION OF MINNESOTA'S REPORTING LAW. A 1978 REVISION IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ANOTHER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS REPORTED. REPORTED ABUSE CASES HAVE GROWN FROM 44 CASES IN 18 COUNTIES IN 1966 TO 1,520 CASES IN 70 COUNTIES IN 1977. OF THE 1977 REPORTS, AND 955 WERE SUBSTANTIATED AND 565 WERE NOT SUBSTANTIATED. OF THE 891 REPORTS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS MANDATED TO REPORT, 593 WERE SUBSTANTIATED AND 298 WERE NOT SUBSTANTIATED. MALES AND FEMALES WERE ABUSED IN ALMOST EQUAL NUMBERS UNTIL ADOLESCENCE, WHEN MANY MORE FEMALES THAN MALES WERE ABUSED. DATA SUGGESTED THAT STEPFATHERS WERE MORE LIKELY THAN NATURAL FATHERS TO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN AND THAT SEXUAL ABUSE OF ADOLESCENTS IS MOSTLY PERPETRATED BY MALES AGAINST FEMALES. DATA ALSO INDICATED THAT LACK OF ADEQUATE INCOME IS A STRESS FACTOR, AND THAT CHILDREN OF YOUNGER PARENTS ARE MORE AT RISK THAN CHILDREN OF OLDER PARENTS. DATA ON FAMILY ADVICE IS GIVEN ON PLACING MEASUREMENTS, LOCATING ITEMS OF EVIDENCE IN THE SKETCH, IDENTIFYING OBJECTS BY USING AND VICTIM'S SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS, ARE INCLUDED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE DATA SUPPORT EXISTING SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILES OF CHILD ABUSE. IN ADDITION, SEXUAL ABUSE, ESPECIALLY OF ADOLESCENTS, IS MORE COMMON THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT AND IS RELATED TO LATER PROSTITUTION. EFFORTS TO REDUCE PROSTITUTION SHOULD THEREFORE INCLUDE IMPROVED REPORTING OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE AND MORE ADEQUATE SOCIAL SERVICE CAPABILITIES OR DEALING WITH VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AS PUBLIC AWARENESS INCREASES, THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS REPORTED WILL ALSO INCREASE. TABLES AND AN ADDRESS FROM WHICH TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED. (CFW)