Abusers frequently make it difficult for the women they batter to complete their education or to find and maintain employment. Therefore, States need to adopt a family violence option that permits abused women to be exempted from the stringent requirements of the welfare reform law. This is especially true since, as welfare reform goes into effect and Aid to Families with Dependent Children is abolished, domestic violence victims will be among those hardest hit. The welfare reform law has strict time limits that range from 2 months to 5 years and dictates how long recipients have to find a job, enroll in a training program, or start community service before they are eliminated from the welfare system. The family violence option urges States to identify domestic violence victims, refer them to counseling, and waive any requirements that unfairly penalize them. Proponents of the family violence option, however, are careful to point out that the goal is not to exempt battered women permanently from work requirements; rather, the goal is to provide battered women with more time and the specific services they need. 1 figure