Women victims of domestic violence constitute an unknown but undoubtedly substantial percentageof admissions to accident and emergency departments for injuries sustained through violence. Although the authoritative British crime surveys have shown consistently, for all violence, that men are more often victims than women, they have also shown that much domestic violence is not reported to the police. The 1992 survey showed that 80% of domestic violence was directed at women.1

Medical records of women attending hospital emergency departments in the United States indicatethat up to 25% have a clinical profile consistent with domestic violence, though few are identified as such by medical staff.2 3 An adequate approach to handling such admissions must accommodate the circumstances and needs …