The recommendations were formulated by more than 30 experts in violence, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse, and mental illness, who participated in an Issue Forum on Violence and Women Across the Life Cycle, held July 24-27, 1995, in Alexandria, Va. Forum participants were asked to formulate recommendations that would guide both policy and practice. Taken together, many of the recommendations call for a new paradigm that considers violence in all forms and women as part of a complex web of social, economic, political, and historical forces. Although some recommendations outline specific ways to improve violence prevention, identification, and treatment practice, many call for fundamental improvements in the ways practitioners, policymakers, educators, and community members understand and approach the problem. Recommendations are offered in the areas of education and training, research, policy and practice, collaboration, capacity building, practice, self-empowerment, prevention and early intervention, and information dissemination. Appended workgroup goals