Results indicate that the highest rates of violence and most severe violence was among cohabiting couples rather than dating and married couples. Controls for age and occupational status did not alter this finding. Without controls for these variables, dating couples showed more violence than married couples; but with age controlled, dating couples showed the lowest levels of violence. For all three groups the most frequent pattern of violence was for both partners to be violent, while the least frequent pattern was male-only violence. Respondent gender did not affect the rate of violence reported. A number of factors may account for the more frequent violence among cohabiting couples. These include social isolation, the publicity given wife-beating by the women's movement, questions of autonomy and control, and the level of investment in the relationship. The less serious/committed nature of dating relationships may explain the lower rate of violence for these couples. 5 figures, 3 tables, and 45 references. (Author abstract modified)