Sexual victimization is particularly tragic and heinous because of its substantial negative effects on both child and adult victims. Yet developing effective, just responses to child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault is challenging, since much sexual victimization goes unreported. It is often difficult to obtain evidence beyond the victim's word against the perpetrator's, and often victims' credibility is questioned. More research is needed to inform the investigation and prosecution of sexual victimization as well as service delivery to survivors. Dr. Ted Cross of CFRC has been conducting research on the response to sexual victimization for over 25 years, and this website profiles his research in this area since he joined CFRC in 2007.

Dr. Cross has co-authored a number of publications evaluating children's advocacy centers, which are state-of-the-art multidisciplinary programs to respond to allegations of child sexual abuse and other serious abuse. Other publications he has co-authored examine investigation and prosecution of child abuse.

Dr. Cross and his colleagues have also been funded by the National Institute of Justice to study the role of medical evidence and crime laboratory evidence in the criminal justice response to child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault.