The first paper presents a comparative analysis of violent deaths in the developed countries and some developing countries for 1985-89. Findings show that violent deaths rank third among the major causes of death, after diseases of the circulatory system and malignant tumors. The second paper focuses on intentional violence from a public health perspective, supported with factual data, for the 15- 19 and 20-24 age groups. The authors examine the secular trend in deaths by murder and suicide in a number of countries, along with morbidity (injuries), risk factors, or protective factors. The epidemiology of suicidal behavior on three continents (Americas, Asia, and Europe) is considered in the third paper, followed by an overview of the prevalence of child abuse globally. A review of the literature on violence against women worldwide shows that this is a major health problem around the world, which often is undocumented, partly due to its taboo nature. More research is needed to improve understanding of gender- related violence and to design better interventions. References accompany each paper.