The study was large-scale and nationwide, involving 1,000 randomly selected Dutch adults (male and female). Nearly half of the Dutch population (45 percent) had at one time been a victim of some form of non-incidental domestic violence. Both men and women became victims of domestic violence and the high percentages of victimization during childhood were particularly striking. Domestic violence often involved a combination of physical, mental, and sexual forms of violence. Results of this study suggest the need for a thorough re-evaluation of criminal policies that reflect the trend to regard crime as being committed by anonymous criminals. Domestic violence, on the other hand, is about offenders who are known to the victim and who are, more often than not, tied to the victim through a complex web of lies, threats, and intimidating behavior. The findings of this study clearly show that any criminal policy not paying explicit attention to this kind of violence is, by definition, inadequate. Figures, tables, references