This study examined the “sexual abuse-sexual abuser hypothesis”, which posits that sexual abuse in childhood is a unique causal factor for sexual offending in adulthood. The authors searched various electronic databases, reviewed each abstract, and selected relevant studies. Only publicly available articles, theses, and dissertations published in English between 1975 and 2005 were included in the meta-analysis. Variables in the 24 studies reviewed were coded independently by two coders, and meta-analytic calculations were weighted by sample size so studies with larger samples made a larger contribution to the average odds ratio. The results of the meta-analysis showed that sex offenders differed significantly from non-sex-offenders on sexual abuse history, but not on history of physical abuse or emotional abuse/neglect. Sex offenders with adult victims were significantly less likely to report a history of sexual abuse than those sex offenders with child victims, but significantly more likely to report a history of physical abuse. The authors tested to see if studies differed depending on the source of information for abuse history to test for a self-report bias. The authors also used a funnel graph to test for a publication bias. The results suggest that no self-report or publication bias was present. Overall, the results of this meta-analysis support the “sexually abused-sexual abuser hypothesis”. The authors discuss possible explanations for the association between childhood sexual abuse and sexual offending, including learning mechanisms, impact on sexual development, or a third variable that explains both sexual abuse and sexual offending.