THE FORMAT OF THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED A KEYNOTE SPEECH AND FIVE PANELS. COMMON STEREOTYPES AND MYTHS THAT SURROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WERE ADDRESSED IN THE KEYNOTE SPEECH. IT WAS EMPHASIZED THAT BATTERED WOMEN COME FROM EVERY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CLASS, FROM EVERY RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND, AND FROM EVERY AGE GROUP. THE MOST COMMONLY GIVEN REASONS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL AND ECONOMIC PRESSURE, WERE REFUTED. THE FIRST PANEL DISCUSSED LAWS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IT CONFIRMED THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS ARE VERY LOW ON THE PRIORITY LIST FOR POLICE RESPONSE. THE PANEL CONSIDERED THE NEED FOR BETTER POLICE TRAINING, 24-HOUR REFERRAL AGENCIES, AND THE ROLE OF PROSECUTORS AND COURTS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES. THE SECOND PANEL EXPLORED VIOLENCE AND THE FAMILY AND EXAMINED WIFE ABUSE IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE THIRD PANEL, IN DISCUSSING ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, STRESSED THE ROLE OF ECONOMICS IN KEEPING BATTERED WOMEN TIED TO A VIOLENT HOME. PANELISTS SOUGHT TO EXAMINE MORE CLOSELY THE SPECIFICS OF ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE AND HOW WOMEN COULD GAIN MORE INDEPENDENCE BOTH DURING AND AFTER MARRIAGE. THE FOURTH PANEL, WHICH EXAMINED SUPPORT SERVICES, CONSISTED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM NUMEROUS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. THE FINAL PANEL DISCUSSED WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES TO PROVIDE BATTERED WOMEN WITH SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE SHELTERS. CONFERENCES PARTICIPANTS LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THE CONFERENCE SERVED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH BETTER COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS. (DEP)