EVIDENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAS CITED IN A NATIONAL SURVEY THAT REVEALED ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX COUPLES EXPERIENCE A VIOLENT EPISODE. CULTURAL NORMS INDIRECTLY PERMIT HUSBAND-WIFE VIOLENCE, AND THIS VIOLENCE CUTS ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS LINES. THE INACTION OF BATTERED WIVES IS INFLUENCED BY THE TIMING AND SEVERITY OF THE HUSBAND'S VIOLENCE, THE WIFE'S EXPERIENCE OF CHILDHOOD VIOLENCE, AND THE DEGREE OF THE WIFE'S RESOURCES AND POWER. OTHER FINDINGS ARE THAT ALCOHOL MAY TRIGGER DOMESTIC DISPUTES BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE A DIRECT CAUSE OF WIFE BEATING, AND THAT POLICE OFFICERS GENERALLY SEEK ALTERNATIVES TO ARREST IN SPOUSE BATTERING CASES. FINDINGS ON CHILD ABUSE FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT SHOW THAT APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION CHILDREN ARE MALTREATED ANNUALLY AND THAT ABUSIVE AND NEGLECTFUL PARENTS COMMONLY SHOW TRAITS OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND A SENSE OF INCOMPETENCE, DEPENDENCY, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND AN INABILITY TO SEEK HELP. THEY ALSO MISPERCEIVE AND HAVE INAPPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CHILD AND SHOW NO AWARENESS OF THE CHILD'S CONDITION AND NEEDS. EVIDENCE ALSO INDICATES THAT SPOUSE BATTERING AND CHILD ABUSE SOMETIMES OCCUR WITHIN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD. IN THE AREA OF SIBLING VIOLENCE, A 1976 ANALYSIS OF 1,244 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN BETWEEN 3 AND 17 YEARS OF AGE SHOWS APPROXIMATELY 75 PERCENT COMMITTING A VIOLENT ACT AGAINST BROTHER OR SISTER. DATA ARE LACKING ON THE INCIDENCE OF ABUSE AMONG THE ELDERLY. FEDERAL RESEARCH INTO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, GOVERNMENTAL POLICIES, AND RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES IS DISCUSSED; A LIST OF HEARINGS WITNESSES IS APPENDED. (DEP)