During the first few weeks of 1997, the study surveyed adult women seeking care in 8 medical clinics and 17 WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program sites in nine counties of west-central Minnesota. Data were collected in villages and cities ranging in population from 543 to 12,874. The survey focused on physical abuse during the past 12 months including being hit, slapped, kicked, pushed, choked, grabbed, or otherwise physically hurt by someone else. Verbal or emotional abuse was also considered, including yelling, swearing, put-downs, threats, jealousy, stalking, and other words or actions intended to control another person. A question on sexual abuse focused on any kind of "forced or unwanted sexual activity." The 1,693 women who participated in the study provided a cross-section of women from west-central Minnesota. Among them, 21.4 percent reported some kind of abuse within the past year. Emotional and verbal abuse was by far the most common form of abuse, and sexual abuse was the least common. Data show that the older a woman was, the less risk she had of current abuse. Women separated from their husbands were seven times as likely to be abused as married women. A recent change in marital status was also strongly associated with an increased risk of current abuse. Information is also provided on the women's knowledge of services and resources available for abused women. Implications of these findings for rural health care are discussed. 3 tables and 6 figures