Compared to controls, both the abused women and their partners were slightly older, were less likely to be married, had slightly higher incomes, and were much more likely to have been abused as children. Abusive males were more likely to be unemployed than nonabusive males, and abused women were more likely to employed than nonabused women. In addition, abused women were more likely to have been abused by a previous partner, and abusive males were more likely to have been abusive in a previous relationship. Findings support the widely held belief that wife abuse is a learned behavior trasmitted from generation to generation. Apparently, some women learn to accept violent behavior and some men learn to be abusive from earlier childhood experiences, and such individuals have a tendency to establish serially abusive relationships. 5 tables and 17 references.