Research suggests that police officers sometimes act as the "second assailant" of women because women who complain of physical or sexual assault encounter police disbelief, impatience, and frustration. From the police perspective, domestic violence is a problem of using resources efficiently to protect women from future violence. From the feminist perspective, the failure of police to protect women indicates police allegiance with preserving a "male order." Reconciling these two perspectives is difficult, and efforts to improve police effectiveness have caused researchers to ask questions about the handling of domestic violence. Research on experimental policing solutions to domestic violence and on women's strategies to escape violence is reported, the deterrent effect of arresting violent offenders is discussed, and the police role in protecting victims of violence is examined. 39 references