THE STUDY MEASURED THE FREQUENCY OF ABUSE, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION EXPOSED TO ABUSE, THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE VIOLENCE, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISITCS ON PARTICIPANTS IN SPOUSE-BATTERING. THE DATA WERE USED TO ASSESS THE NEEDS FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR BOTH THE VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS. THE SAMPLE WAS SELECTED BY A RANDOM DIGIT DIALING TECHNIQUE. QUESTIONNAIRES, OF UP TO 130 QUESTIONS, WERE ADMINISTERED OVER THE PHONE. THERE WERE A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS ON SUCH TOPICS AS SPOUSAL ABUSE, CHILD ABUSE, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. A PRETEST SHOWED THAT THE QUESTIONNAIRE WOULD IDENTIFY ABUSE VICTIMS, SINCE SENSITIVE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ONLY AFTER THE RESPONDENT FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SURVEY. WHILE ABUSE OCCURRED AT ALL EDUCATIONAL AND INCOME LEVELS, IT IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN LOW INCOME AND EDUCATIONAL GROUPS. ALSO ABUSE IS THREE TIMES GREATER AMONG BLACK WOMEN THAN WHITE WOMEN. ABUSIVE FAMILIES TEND TO PERPETUATE THEMSELVES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. SINCE THE RURAL EASTERN SHORE HAS A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF ABUSE THAN ANY OTHER REGION IN THE STATE, EXCEPT FOR BALTIMORE, THE NEXT SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN SHOULD BE LOCATED IN THIS AREA. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES SHOULD DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO ADDRESS THIS MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM. ALSO, SINCE THE ONLY CURRENT SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO REQUIRE THAT THE WIFE LEAVE THE ABUSING PARTNER, PROGRAMS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO HELP THE ABUSING SPOUSE BE ABLE TO STAY WITH THE FAMILY. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)