RESEARCH POINTS TO THE EXTREME FORMS OF VIOLENCE INVOLVED IN MANY CASES OF WIFE-BEATING AND TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A MAN'S UPBRINGING IN DETERMINING WHETHER HE IS LIKELY TO BEAT HIS WIFE. WIFE-BEATERS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: PSYCHOTICS; PSYCHOPATHS; ALCOHOLICS; AND BULLIES. THESE MEN COME FROM ALL SOCIAL CLASSES. THE BEATINGS THEY INFLICT ARE NOT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MATERIAL ARGUMENTS BUT ARE CALCULATED, REGULAR ACTS. MORE RESEARCH ON THE BACKGROUND OF WIFE-BEATERS AND ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF BEATINGS ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN IS NEEDED. IN GREAT BRITAIN, BATTERED WIVES ENCOUNTER A NUMBER OF DIFFICULTIES WHEN THEY SEEK HELP FROM PHYSICIANS, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, OR THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THE RESPONSE OF PARLIAMENT TO THE PLIGHT OF BATTERED WOMEN HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY DELAY. SELF-HELP EFFORTS THROUGH WOMEN'S AID PROGRAMS HAVE ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM, BUT ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES TO BATTERED WIVES, FOR FUNDING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM, AND FOR IMPROVING THE RESPONSE OF THE LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEMS ARE OFFERED. (LKM)