AbstractCase records were reviewed of 214 young women admitted to a Juvenile Classification Home in Japan for delinquent behaviour between 1983 and 1987. In 10 cases there were reports of a history of sexual abuse and these were 3 times more likely to be admitted to a Detention Home than other cases. All 10 women came from disrupted and economically disadvantaged family backgrounds. Most were depressed with low self‐esteem. Five women were physically abused prior to sexual abuse, but behavioural problems were only concurrent and consequent to the sexual abuse. Most of the women were not believed by their mothers at the time of disclosure. Those women who were later believed by their mothers were more likely to return home (with the perpetrators no longer present) and less likely to continue to be victims of sexual abus