THE INCIDENCE DATA ARE BASED ON REPORTS TO SELECTED POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN ONE DISTRICT OF GLASGOW AND IN ALL OF EDINBURGH FOR THE YEAR 1974. OF 33,724 REPORTED OFFENSES, LESS THAN 10 PERCENT INVOLVED VIOLENCE OF ANY SORT. OF CASES INVOLVING VIOLENCE, 34.5 PERCENT INVOLVED VIOLENCE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS. OVER HALF (56 PERCENT) OF THE FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES INVOLVED ASSAULTS OR THREATENED ASSAULTS BY HUSBANDS ON WIVES. ONLY 6.9 PERCENT OF REPORTED FAMILY VIOLENCE INVOLVED CHILDREN AS VICTIMS. THE POSSIBILITY THAT FAMILY VIOLENCE IS UNDERREPORTED IS NOTED. STUDIES OF 928 INDIVIDUAL CASES OF WIFE-BEATING SUGGEST LITTLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT WIVES AND THAT DIRECTED AT CHILDREN. IN ONLY 13 PERCENT OF THE WIFE-BEATING CASES WAS A SECOND VICTIM INVOLVED. HOWEVER, WHEN A SECOND VICTIM IS INVOLVED, IT IS MOST LIKELY TO BE A CHILD, PARTICULARLY AN ADOLESCENT FEMALE. ALTHOUGH CHILDREN RARELY BECOME INVOLVED AS VICTIMS IN WIFE-BEATING SITUATIONS, THEY DO BECOME INVOLVED AS WITNESSES. HALF OF THE 1,014 WITNESSES IN THE 928 WIFE ASSAULT CASES WERE CHILDREN. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS ARE CONSIDERED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)