Shelters for battered women sprung up around the country during the 1970s. In 1985, a workshop convened by Surgeon General C. Everett Koop marked the beginning of a strategy of addressing violence as a public health problem. Prevention and intervention tools were disseminated to the public health community through regional conferences, and the newly created National Center for Injury Prevention and Control expanded its focus to include domestic violence. Shelters, domestic violence coalitions, and government entities forged a consensus acknowledging that domestic violence is as serious as other crimes against persons and should be regarded as a top priority. Law enforcement and courts followed suit. The health care community, however, has been slow and inconsistent in its response. Each year, more than 1.5 million women nationwide seek medical treatment for injuries sustained in domestic violence incidents. Such cases constitute 20 percent of instances in which women use emergency services for injury. 13 references