Traumatic experiences in the past and current dissociative symptoms appear to be often associated with a borderline personality disorder. In our study (structured interview and questionnaires) of 32 borderline patients we have found a high frequency of emotional neglect and different kinds of abuse in the past. Symptoms of dissociative disorders and borderline pathology were more prevalent in the group of sexually traumatized borderline patients. Some explanations and implications of the findings are discussed.