The sample of Sydney women responded to a questionnaire containing questions on personal data, duration of violent relationship, experience of violence in previous relationships, family history of violence, occupation of spouses, employment status, role of alcohol, and assistance the women had received. Contrary to assumptions that a history of family violence is almost a prerequisite for domestic violence, only half of the battered women had such a history. High unemployment levels (18 percent among abusing husbands as compared to the 7 percent national average) played an important part in family violence. However, the most cogent explanation for coninuing domestic violence was the vulnerable position of the women as wives and mothers. Most women were physically weaker than their husbands and financially dependent on their spouses' income. Employed women without children formed a very small percentage of the group. Contrary to earlier studies, this study revealed a higher proportion of working class or unskilled men involved in domestic violence. Yet it also clearly indicates that domestic violence is not an exclusively working class phenomenon. The fact that spouse abuse occurs through all sectors of society is further evidence that a woman's membership of a particular sex rather than particular class is the prime factor in spouse abuse and its acceptance. Based on these findings, the study makes the following suggestions for improvement: refuges for battered women, equal pay for women, and recognition that the state has a responsibility to provide child care, and freely available aid to battered women. Law enforcement and court officials must become aware of the importance of sexual inequality in spouse abuse. The article includes 26 bibliographical footnotes.