Given the fact that child sexual abuse may affect more than one third of our population, our current resources and expertise are sorely inadequate to address the problem, especially among very young children. We are at a crossroads in this field. Public awareness and improved clinical techniques have done much to bring this issue to the forefront, but already there is a public backlash of disbelief, including accusations of hysteria and witch hunting.

The backlash that is now occurring in some preschools threatens to deprive children of the nourishment and affection that is so important to healthy development and so rewarding to children as well as teachers. Workshops assisting parents and teachers to explore these issues in a safe environment might help adults to confront some of these very sensitive issues.

Parents and providers of care for children are clearly much better educated about the symptoms of sexual abuse than was the case a decade ago. More importantly, because the symptoms are frequently so subtle, children are finally being educated about the problem.