Six studies in which the incidence of wife abuse among blacks was compared to that among whites found that race alone did not distinguish violent and nonviolent couples. Two studies centered on the significance of social support networks to reduced domestic violence among blacks. They indicate that such networks can produce a substantial decrease in wife assault among blacks, but such networks have little impact of wife abuse among white couples. Regardless of race, battered women experience the psychological pain of guilt, emotional and economic insecurities, and fear of reprisals from their mates if they seek help. The general counseling literature supports racial group differences in the interpretation of problems, help-seeking behavior, and the accessibility of services. The same is apparently true for black battered women, but the issue has not been sufficiently examined. There is a need for increased discussion and research that can explain differences and similarities within and between racial groups. 1 table and 28 references.