At the beginning of the 1980's, victimization surveys began to proliferate in Spain. Surveys were conducted in Barcelona, Alicante, Valencia, and Madrid. This report presents the results of the surveys in Barcelona, Alicante, and Valencia. These surveys included an analysis of the characteristics of victimization and criminal acts (e.g., incidence, type, frequency, kind of victims, and psychological impact); public opinion in this respect (feelings of safety, problems posed by crimes within the neighborhood, incidence of reported crimes, and protective measures); and opinions regarding the services provided by the criminal justice system. Over the past 5 years, various studies by the University of Valencia have focused on the extent and characteristics of violence towards women in Valencia. The studies indicate that sexual assault and other violence against women produce severe psychological effects on the victims. The acceptance of the physical abuse of women was found to be related to nonegalitarian sexual attitudes, sexual conservatism, and sexism (acceptance of male dominance over females). 27 references