Evaluation research requires a collaborative effort between evaluators and project staff. They must agree on the type of evaluation and research methodology to use. The type of evaluation selected should reflect the program's needs for information within the context of its current stage of development. Evaluators should use a range of methodological issues to address the complex evaluation needs of community intervention projects. Issues to address include the privacy and confidentiality of research participants, the implications of program changes made for evaluation purposes for risk to battered women, and the evaluation of project implementation and impact. Evaluators should meet with project staff and review evaluation findings and their implications. Project staff should consider what program changes the findings indicate. The inevitable tension between the researcher and the project staff can be positive; they share the goal of safety for women and must work continually to respect their different perspectives and to learn from each other. 25 references