In 1988 the West Yorkshire Police adopted a new approach to domestic violence. It involved setting up eight domestic violence and child protection units; an independent database; new training modules for officers; and involvement in domestic violence interagency forums. The policy is to arrest whenever possible, to gather evidence as with any other crime and to ensure the safety of the victim. The repeat victimization project is a development of that policy. The model recognizes the different situations of women living with or separated from the perpetrator. Offenses are divided into common law, where arrest is to prevent future breaches of the peace, and criminal law, where arrest and evidence gathering are mandatory police procedures. Early results suggest the project is reducing the necessity for repeat attendance by the police in response to domestic violence calls. Tables