The book is divided into four principal parts. The first part presents the findings of the national study, and focuses on the nature and extent of newly emerging intervention services and shelters for abused women and their children. It provides a readily accessible national perspective on the hotlines, counseling services, and emergency shelters geared to helping beaten women. Information on the background, functions, organizational structure and funding sources of the programs and their coordination with criminal justice agencies is also provided. The findings are based on the data obtained from 89 intervention services by means of a 23-item questionnaire. The respondents represent a cross-section of shelters in urban, suburban, and rural areas in almost every one of the 50 States. The second part of the book offers practitioners and concerned citizens specific methods and procedures for helping beaten women. This includes a self-help guide for beaten women and a step by step guide for police officers who respond to complaints of wife beatings. The feelings of guilt experienced by battered women, and the church's complicity in perpetuating such guilt is explored. The third part of the book addresses the current and projected trends in the delivery of services. Recommendations for program planning are given for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. The appendix includes a directory of the respondents to this study along with descriptive information on each and a list of community foundations which may serve as funding sources for shelters and related services. Over 100 references are included. Author abstract modified.