There is an extensive body of research on police response to domestic violence; however, there is less comparable research of the factors that are associated with women calling the police for assistance during domestic violence. This paper investigates the role of alcohol and drugs in influencing women’s utilization of police for incidents of abuse. Data were collected as part of a spouse assault study in North Carolina. A total of 419 women were located after the incident and agreed to be interviewed. Data analysis indicates that male drunkenness and marijuana use were statistically significant predictors of how frequently women would call the police for assistance for incidents of domestic violence. Substance use by victims had almost no impact on police utilization. The findings suggest that the police response to spouse abuse could and should be strengthened. Tables and references