The guide points to the role of alcohol abuse in wife beatings and suggests that the intervening officers should not underestimate the danger of violence to the victim and to themselves. The guide explains how the dispatcher receiving a complaint can contribute to the safety of the victim and the officers by obtaining the right kind of information. The safest way fo the officers to approach a home in which an assault has occured, gain entry, and establish control is suggested. The guide also points to the need to administer first aid to the victim, and to find out if she needs medical attention. It also explains the emotional state of the victim and suggests tactful approaches the intervening officers should use to interview and protect the victim from further abuse. Suggestions on how to interview witnesses and the assailant, and how to hather evidence are also offered. The factors to be considered by the offices when making a decision to arrest the husband are explored. The guide also explains that when the victim decides not to initiate court action against her husband, the intervening officers should inform her about the types of noncriminal assistance available locally, and it describes those types of assistance.