The 1985 results indicated that sexual violence such as rape and child sexual abuse were perceived as the most serious; violent robberies were viewed as less serious. The use of violence in family disputes such as child punishment were perceived as least serious. Police use of excessive force was also considered serious. Women tended to see nearly all violence as more serious than men; young people were significantly more lenient in their ratings than those over 65. The results show a strong consensus among West Germans concerning the use of violence; no major rifts within the population were discovered. The 1988 study had very similar results, which revealed that perceptions of seriousness of violent acts are fairly stable. The only significant change during the three year gap was that juveniles had become even more tolerant of violence than in 1985. Based on the results, the study suggests a violence index which assigns numerical ratings to the following offense categories: violence leading to death, sexual violence, violence without provocation, politically motivated violence, and provoked violence. 50 tables and 112 references (Author abstract modified)