Adult women in the United States are more likely to be assaulted or killed in their own home by their male partner than in any other place or by anyone else. The nature and extent of domestic violence in the United States is described and the cost of domestic violence to the victim/survivor, children, the perpetrator, and to society is considered. The history of the criminal justice response to domestic violence is recalled as the author points out how the police response has shifted from supporting a husband’s right to use violence against his wife to treating the violent spouse as a criminal offender. The various components of domestic violence are considered and the resulting negative outcomes are described, such as learned helplessness, posttraumatic stress disorder, and Stockholm syndrome. The factors contributing to domestic violence are discussed and include cultural sex role socialization, learned aggression, social isolation, and drug abuse. Ten key myths associated with domestic violence are confronted, including the myth that battered women are free to leave abusive relationships and that stress causes domestic violence. Next, the characteristics of both perpetrators and victims/survivors are discussed and the dynamics of why he batters and why she stays are considered. The phases of domestic abuse are described, which include the tension or build up phase, the battering incident phase, and the calm or honeymoon phase. Lastly, the author explores the crisis intervention process in regards to domestic violence survivors. The goal of crisis intervention in these cases is to ensure the safety of the survivors and the arrest of the perpetrator. The author describes how the crisis intervention steps--assessment, information gathering, control-direction, referral, and disposition--should be approached in domestic violence cases. The chapter concludes with chapter questions, simulated exercises, and a listing of additional Internet resources. Appendix, references