In recruiting participants, the publicity asked for women who had experienced any act of male violence or abuse that resulted in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering. The final sample consisted of 286 women who ranged in age from 20-67 years old. The sample of 32 women who agreed to an in-depth, face-to-face interview was comparable in characteristics to the women who agreed only to complete a questionnaire. Of the 32 women, 14 had experienced domestic violence; 8 reported sexual assault by a stranger; 6 reported date rape; and 4 reported severe physical assault by purse snatchers. In all these cases, the victimization occurred within the past 3 years. The questionnaire administered to all the sample inquired about the nature of their victimization and requested respondents to list any regrets of action/inaction concerning each victimization. Two factor analyses, with varimax rotation, were conducted on the questionnaire data to identify recurrent themes underlying survivors' regrets. The factor analysis of regrettable actions identified three factors that centered on themes of isolation and alienation from family and friends. Factor analyses of regrets about inaction or failure to act identified four factors that featured themes of insufficient action for self-care and self-protection, as well as a reluctance to seek a change of venue and identity. The in-depth interviews provided further confirmation of these themes. As hypothesized, the number of regrets about inaction far exceeded those of action. These findings suggest that counselors should urge victims to seek out and use all available social, psychological, legal, and political recourse as early as possible in the recovery process. 3 tables and 47 references