A 1976 NATIONAL SURVEY OF 2,143 COUPLES, RANDOMLY SELECTED AND DEMOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENTATIVE, WAS USED AS THE DATA SOURCE FOR ESTIMATING THE EXTENT OF WIFE ABUSE. OF THE APPROXIMATELY 47 MILLION COUPLES LIVING LIVING TOGETHER IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1975, OVER 1.7 MILLION HAD FACED A HUSBAND OR WIFE WIELDING A KNIFE OR GUN, WELL OVER 2 MILLION HAD BEEN BEATEN BY THEIR SPOUSE, AND ANOTHER 2.5 MILLION HAD ENGAGED IN HIGH-RISK VIOLENCE. THE MOST POWERFUL STIMULUS TO WIFE BEATING IS BELIEVED TO BE THE PATRIARCHAL, HUSBAND/DOMINANT, WIFE/SUBMISSIVE CULTURAL CONDITIONING OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. UNDER THE VALUES OF THIS CONDITIONING SUBMISSIVE WIVES INVITE ABUSE WHILE AGGRESSIVE WIVES JUSTIFY ABUSE AS A MEANS OF PUTTING THEM IN THEIR 'PROPER' PLACE. THE STRUCTURE OF MARRIAGES IN SUCH A CULTURE, TOGETHER WITH A GENERAL LACK OF THERAPEUTIC AND LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION OR HELP FOR ABUSED WIVES ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERPETUATION OF WIFE ABUSE. A MARRIAGE STRUCTURE WHICH MAKES A WIFE FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON THE HUSBAND AND WELFARE PROGRAMS WHICH FAIL TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE HELP TO WIVES WHO LEAVE ABUSING HUSBANDS ARE FACTORS THAT TRAP THE WIFE IN AN ABUSIVE SITUATION. THE POLICE AND COURTS ADOPT A NONINTERVENTIONIST APPROACH IN MANY STATES AND COMMUNITIES, BELIEVING THAT IT IS A MARITAL PROBLEM RATHER THAN A CRIME FOR A HUSBAND TO ABUSE HIS WIFE. EXAMPLES OF LEGISLATIVE REFORM DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE ABUSED WIFE ARE PROVIDED, AND THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS AIMED AT PROVIDING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE FOR A WIFE IN DEALING WITH THE ABUSIVE CHARACTER OF HER MARRIAGE ARE DESCRIBED. (RCB)