THIS STUDY HAD THE FOLLOWING THREE OBJECTIVES: (1) TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY THE SCOPE AND NATURE OF ABUSE AGAINST WOMEN BY A SPOUSE OR BOYFRIEND, (2) TO CREATE AN INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE BATTERED WOMEN TO SEEK HELP AND TO PROMOTE SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES, AND (3) TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO BATTERED WOMEN. THE TASK FORCE USED THREE SOURCES OF INFORMATION TO DOCUMENT THE DEGREE TO WHICH VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS A LOCAL PROBLEM. THESE SOURCES INCLUDE INFORMATION COLLECTED IN 12 COUNTY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, A SHORT QUESTIONNAIRE DISTRIBUTED TO WOMEN IN SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, SOCIAL CLUBS, AND CLASSROOMS; AND A 1-MONTH REVIEW OF CURRENT CASE FILES IN A LARGE COUNSELING AGENCY. IT WAS FOUND THAT PHYSICAL ABUSE OF WOMEN OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY THAN COMMONLY BELIEVED. ABUSE WAS FOUND TO BE RECURRING AND OFTEN SERIOUS. BATTERED WOMEN WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE LOW-INCOME, SEPARATED OR DIVORCED, NONWHITE, LESS EDUCATED, AND FROM FAMILIES WHERE PARENTAL CONFLICT AND PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT OF CHILDREN COMMONLY OCCURRED. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT MANY BATTERED WOMEN REPORTED THAT THEY WERE HELPED THROUGH COUNSELING. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AT HOSPITAL EMERGENCY FACILITIES TENDED TO BE LIMITED TO MEDICAL CARE, AND THAT POLICE DID NOT PLACE A HIGH PRIORITY ON FAMILY VIOLENCE. IT WAS FURTHER FOUND THAT PRESENT LEGAL PROCEDURES ARE OFTEN INEFFECTIVE FOR MANY BATTERED WOMEN, AND THAT THE MASS MEDIA HAS NOT ADEQUATELY PROMOTED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM. A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROPOSED DEALING WITH PROCEDURAL CHANGES, FUNDING, PREVENTION, AND FURTHER STUDY. FIGURES, TABLES, DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED -- MLC)