Data came from interviews with a group of battered women who had killed their batterers and a community sample of nonviolent battered women. Results revealed that, compared to the community sample, the vast majority of battered women who killed their abusive partners were more likely to (1) have been sexually assaulted during childhood, (2) have dropped out of high school, (3) have an erratic work history of one to three unskilled jobs, (4) have cohabited with their partner, (5) experienced a drug problem, (6) have attempted suicide by drug overdosing, and (7) have access to the batterer's guns. Findings indicate that battered women are more likely to kill their mates after they have encountered brutal and repeated assaults and death threats, failed in their attempts to escape through alcohol or drug abuse, and failed in their attempts to commit suicide. Tables and 24 references (Author abstract modified)