BACKGROUND ARE NO LONGTERM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS IN NEBRASKA; SOME EMERGENCY SHELTERS ARE AVAILABLE IN MOTELS OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE AREA, OR IN HOMES OF LOCAL NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MEMBERS FAR ENOUGH FROM THE NATURAL HOME SITUATION TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS. THERE ARE NO LEGAL AID RESOURCES, ALTHOUGH WOMEN ARE FREQUENTLY ENCOURAGED TO TAKE SERIOUS LEGAL STEPS TO SOLVE THEIR DILEMMAS. SOME TASK FORCE MEMBERS HAVE WORKED WITH ATTORNEYS TO DEVELOP A REVOLVING SYSTEM WHERE EACH ONE WILL ACCEPT CASES PERIODICALLY. FINANCIAL RESOURCES ARE HARD TO COME BY AS RURAL AREAS ARE QUITE OFTEN LARGE AND SPARSELY POPULATED. TRANSPORTATION IS DIFFICULT, SO THAT WOMEN CANNOT EVEN REACH AVAILABLE AGENCIES. THE LACK OF JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO UPGRADE THEIR SKILLS CONTRIBUTE TOWARD MAKING WOMEN FINANCIAL PRISONERS OF THEIR ABUSIVE MARRIAGES. IN THIS RESPECT, RURAL CAN BE DEFINED AS A MINDSET, TYPIFIED BY CONSERVATIVE OUTLOOKS ON SEX ROLES, THE FAMILY, AND METHODS OF PROBLEM SOLVING. MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING WOMEN, BELIEVE IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR A MAN TO BEAT HIS WIFE. FURTHERMORE, ANONYMITY IS IMPOSSIBLE. DOCTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OFTEN SEE THE SAME CASE OVER AND OVER, AND COME TO REGARD IT AS A COMMONPLACE OCCURRENCE. SPECIAL TRAINING IS NEEDED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, AND LEGAL AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO DISPELL OLD MYTHS AND TEACH NEW TREATMENT METHODS. THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE MUST BE EXPANDED. NETWORKS OF VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED, AS ARE SMALL GRANTS FOR LOCAL GROUPS. LARGE-SCALE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OF THE STEREOTYPES THAT FEED IT. ABOVE ALL, ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN MUST BE CHANGED. (MHP)