Introduction Domestic violence against women is a serious and widespread problem that is just not confined to the UK as Heise et al (1994) indicates that between 20 to 50 per cent of women in most countries experience spousal abuse at least once in their lives. During 1995 almost one third of 4,967 women murdered in the United States were killed by their boyfriend or husbands. Nor does domestic violence stop at mere physical abuse, but can include sexual, verbal, …showed first 75 words of 2728 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2728 total…M and Flitcraft T (1991) Domestic Violence and Female Suicide Attempts. London. Steinmetz, S. (1977) The Cycle of Violence: Assertive Aggression and Abusive Family Interaction. New York, Praeger. Straus, M. (1979) Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the American Family. New York, Doubleday/Anchor. Straus, M. et al (1979) Measuring Interfamily Conflict and Violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales. Journal of Marriage and Family. (41) 75-88* Widom, M. (1989) Does Violence Beget Violence? A Critical Examination of the Literature. Psychological Bulletin, (106) 3-28