THE AUTHOR CLAIMS THAT WOMEN ARE SUBJUGATED BECAUSE OF THE BIBLICAL REFERENCES TO THE FALL OF MEN. UP UNTIL MODERN TIMES, WOMEN WERE CONSIDERED TO BE INHERENTLY BAD, BUT IT IS NOW POSTULATED THAT WOMEN ARE MASOCHISTIC. THE MASOCHISM HYPOTHESIS, ACCORDING TO WHICH SUFFERING, FOR WOMEN, IS INHERENTLY BOUND UP WITH EROTIC PLEASURE AND IS DESIRED FOR THAT REASON, IS A PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY WHICH DEVELOPED OUT OF ROMANTICISM. SIGMUND FREUD HAD SEVERAL THEORIES ON MASOCHISM: (1) IT REPRESENTS A TRANSFORMATION OF SADISM; (2) IT IS CAUSED BY GUILT; AND (3) IT APPEARS AS THE DEATH INSTINCT AND THE ORIGIN OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. MANY OTHER PSYCHOLOGISTS VIEW MASOCHISM AS BIOLOGICALLY BASED, AND SOME SAY THAT IT IS CAUSED BY RESTRICTIVE SOCIAL FACTORS. THERE IS A LACK OF EMPIRICAL DATA TO SUPPORT THE BIOLOGICAL VIEW, SO IT APPEARS THAT MASOCHISM EXAMINING WHAT CHOICES ARE OPEN TO THE SO-CALLED MASOCHIST. A RELEVANT FACTOR IS HOW PEOPLE MAKE THE BEST OF BAD BUT INESCAPABLE SITUATIONS: SUBJECTS IN THIS POSITION TEND TO EVALUATE SITUATIONS ON THE BASIS OF GAINS AND LOSSES, WITH LOSSES HAVING MORE OF AN EFFECT THAN GAINS. A WOMAN HAS A CHOICE TO MAKE IN THE ABUSE SITUATION -- WHETHER TO STAY WITH HER HUSBAND AND CONTINUE TO BE BEATEN OR TO LEAVE, OFTENTIMES WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. SOME IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE WIFE'S DECISION ARE IDENTITY VERSUS IDENTIY-LOSS, SOCIAL APPROVAL VERSUS STIGMATIZATION, ECONOMIC SUPPORT VERSUS ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION AND DOWNWARD SOCIAL MOBILITY AND LOVE VERSUS LOSS OF ATTACHMENT THE CONCEPT OF FEMALE MASOCHISM MUST BE CHANGED, BECAUSE IT SUBSTANTIATES THE BATTERED WOMAN'S NEGATIVE CONCEPT OF HERSELF AND FOSTERS APATHY TOWARD THE PROBLEMS OF ABUSE. THERAPY SHOULD INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN SELF-ESTEEM AND A BEHAVIORAL CHANGE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (BAC)