Feminist theories share the idea of the centrality of gender as a variable in understanding human behavior. Therefore, feminist theories are useful in understanding intimate violence. Studies indicate that men are more likely than women to be violent crime victims but that women are more likely than men to be injured or killed by an intimate partner. Further, the violent behavior of women is both quantitatively and qualitatively different from the violent behavior of men. Racial, class, and age variations also prevail in domestic violence, and differences exist between the violence encountered by lesbians and gay men. Despite the preponderance of evidence documenting significant gender differences in intimate violence, the "women are as violent as men" perspective appears to be garnering the most support in the public consciousness and in some academic and clinical circles. The social construction of intimate violence is discussed, as well as public opinion toward battered women and the need to establish effective violence prevention and intervention strategies. 16 references and 2 notes