THE INADEQUACY OF REPORTING SERIOUSLY UNDERMINES ATTEMPTS TO DOCUMENT STATISTICALLY THE AGE, RACE, AND CLASS OF WIFE BEATING VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS. HOWEVER, RESEARCH EXPERIENCE SUPPORTS THE CONTENTION THAT WIFE BEATING IS A PHENOMENON COMMON TO ALL AGE, RACE, CLASS, ECONOMIC GROUPS. THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM IS PERHAPS BEST EMPHASIZED BY STATISTICS GENERATED BY THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. UNDER ARTICLE 8 OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT, THE COURT HAS JURISDICTION OVER ASSAULTS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND IN THE PERIOD FROM JULY 1, 1973 TO JUNE 30, 1974, 4,803 FAMILY ASSAULT PETITIONS WERE FILED. IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED BY INSTRUCTORS AT THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE ACADEMY THAT 40 PERCENT OF ALL CALLS FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE INVOLVE HUSBAND-WIFE DISPUTES. A 1967 STUDY ESTIMATED THAT IN CHICAGO MORE POLICE CALLS INVOLVED FAMILY CONFLICT THAN CRIMINAL INCIDENTS. STATISTICS GENERATED BY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE MATRIMONIAL UNIT OF THE BROOKLYN LEGAL SERVICE CORPORATION AND THE ENGLISH ORGANIZATION, WOMEN'S AID, EMPHASIZE THE INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE POSITION OF WIVES CAUGHT IN CRISIS SITUATIONS. OF THE 700 WOMEN REPRESENTED BY THE BROOKLYN-BASED GROUP IN DIVORCE ACTIONS DURING JULY 1974 TO NOVEMBER 1975, 41.5 PERCENT COMPLAINED OF PHYSICAL ASSAULTS BY THEIR HUSBANDS. ON THE AVERAGE, THESE WOMEN HAD SUFFERED PHYSICAL ABUSE FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS PRIOR TO SEEKING A DIVORCE. WOMEN'S AID HAS ENCOUNTERED APPROXIMATELY 5,500 PHYSICALLY ABUSED WIVES IN 2.5 YEARS. IN 270 CASES DETAILED RECORDS WERE MAINTAINED AND THESE RECORDS REVEALED THAT WIFE ABUSE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY CHILD ABUSE IN NEARLY 25 PERCENT OF THE CASES. STUDIES IN NEW YORK, OHIO, AND ELSEWHERE ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE SINGULAR ABSENCE OF SERVICE SUPPORT FOR BATTERED WIVES. EVEN IN THE COURSE OF COURT PROCEEDINGS, BATTERED WIVES OFTEN HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO LIVE WITH THEIR ABUSING HUSBANDS WHILE COMPLAINTS ARE PENDING. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE WOMEN FROM PHYSICAL ATTACKS AND PRESSURES TO WITHDRAW COMPLAINTS. WOMEN'S AID OPERATES FOUR SHELTERS IN LONDON FILLED WITH BATTERED WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND IT IS BELIEVED THEY COULD FILL STILL MORE SHELTERS. THESE SHELTERS ARE RUN BY THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES; THE ONLY PAID STAFF IS FOR CHILD CARE, A NATIONAL COORDINATOR, A SECRETARY, A LAWYER, AND AN ACCOUNTANT. SHELTERS HAVE BEEN OPENED THROUGHOUT ENGLAND IN RESPONSE TO AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR AID. SIMILAR SHELTERS ARE IN OPERATION IN THE U.S., INCLUDING SUCH LOCALES AS ST. PAUL, MINN., BOSTON, MASS., AND PITTSBURGH, PA. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)