A family systems approach includes intervention with all members of a spouse abusive family, including all the children, the victim(s), the perpetrator, and community systems which can provide resources to these family members. In addition to providing emergency shelter for all who need it, the abuser is actively involved in therapy and the planning for the family's future. Multiple assessment techniques are employed with all family members. The fifteen-week Family Night program, one component of the treatment intervention, involves both group and family therapy, as well as numerous activities for all members of the family. This approach is based on the assumption that the impact of multiple caring people is a more effective and efficient treatment modality for spouse abusive families than treatment by individually-oriented casework. Intervention is accomplished through a family focused therapeutic/educational program which helps family members to learn and to use resources which offer alternatives to violence. The long-term goal of these interventions is to help them break the intergenerational cycle of violence. (Author abstract)