POLICE RECORDS INDICATE THAT 90 PERCENT OF THE 568 CASES STUDIED SHOWED WOMEN AS THE VICTIMS. THE MOST COMMON FORM OF VIOLENCE WAS PUNCHING OR BEATING. THE AVERAGE AGE OF VICTIMS WAS 26, WITH ALMOST ALL VICTIMS UNDER AGE 45. OFTEN CHILDREN WERE PRESENT IN THE HOMES. HALF THE VICTIMS LIVED WITH THEIR ASSAILANTS. POLICE RECORDS ALSO SUGGEST ANIMOSITY BETWEEN ABUSER AND ABUSED, AGGRAVATED BY DRINKING IN 14 PERCENT OF THE CASES. PEAK INCIDENT TIME ACCORDING TO POLICE CALLS WAS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BETWEEN 3 P.M. AND 3 A.M., AND POLICE ACTION WAS LIMITED TO WARNING THE VICTIM THAT NO ACTION WAS POSSIBLE UNLESS CHARGES WERE BROUGHT. THE FINDINGS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE FILLED OUT BY THE WOMEN APPEARING AT FAMILY COURT OFFER TENTATIVE CONCLUSIONS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SMALL SAMPLE. ONE-THIRD OF THESE WOMEN HAD A FULL-TIME JOB, WHILE 42 PERCENT HAD MORE EDUCATION THAN THEIR HUSBANDS. FRICTION LED TO ARGUMENTS 2 OR 3 TIMES A WEEK, AND VIOLENCE ONCE A MONTH. WOMEN WHO LEFT THEIR HUSBANDS HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE FORMS OF VIOLENCE. VICTIMS REPORT FEELING AFRAID, DEPRESSED, AND ANGRY AFTER A BEATING. MOST HAD NOT CONSULTED COUNSELORS OR OTHER HELP. THIS MAY BE WHY PROFESSIONALS ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF THE EXTENSIVENESS OF MARITAL VIOLENCE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)