In recent years the phenomenon of the battered wife has emerged as a serious social problem warranting criminologists' attention in the context of victimology. In the present study, pertinent literature and the nature of intrafamilial violence are examined in some detail. To explore the subject empirically, structured interviews were conducted with 30 women in shelter care centers in Lyons, France, roundtable discussions were held with professionals treating battered wives, and a formal survey of professionals was performed. Institutional records were also consulted. Data analysis indicates that most of the women are still married at the point of their institutional contact, are 20 to 40 years old (in three-fourths of the cases), have an average of 3.3 children, and are often foreigners (25 percent). Women without professions are common, and many of the women are from geographically distant regions. In many cases the women have been hospitalized with injuries and fractures resulting from beatings with chains or objects, stab wounds, or the effects of strangulation. Wife battering appears to occur in all classes, but social factors do affect what the woman does after she has been beaten. Women are most commonly aided by social workers (7 cases), police (2 cases), the Palace of Justice (1 case), lawyers (2 cases), or the hospital (1 case). The second volume of the work contains a detailed analysis of the battered women regarding demographic factors, parents and adult life, marital life, conjugal violence, and institutional assistance sought. Professionals providing assistance are described in terms of demographic characteristics, frequency of contact with clients, and the referral process. Causes of violence and circumstances justifying the violence, are analyzed, as are characteristics of the aggressor, and the general reflections of battered women. A bibliography of approximately 200 entries, appendixes with sample instruments, and tables are supplied.