As the visibility of domestic violence (DV) continues to increase, so too does our awareness of the needs of the children in violent families. This study documents the various needs and problems of over 40,000 children as reported by their battered caretakers. What follows is a description of the findings from data collected between 1990 and 1995 from approximately 50 DV agencies in a Midwestern state. The findings indicate that large proportions of children had emotional and social problems whereas about one quarter had physical health and educational difficulties. Common problems included being very protective of family members, discipline issues, mood swings, and difficulty leaving parents. The implications of these findings and ideas for future planning are identified.Edleson, (1999b) in a review of the literature related to the co-occurrence of woman battering and child maltreatment, noted that a majority of studies indicated co-occurring violence in 30%-60% of families in which either child maltreatment or spouse battering was occurring (p. 136; see also Dietz & Craft, 1980;Lundy & Grossman 2001). Although Edleson (1999b) noted that there are methodological problems making comparisons between studies problematic, an overview of these works indicates that the victims of adult abuse were most often mothers, and the type of child abuse most frequently reported was some type of physical abuse. The legacy of such abuse has been clearly documented in the child abuse literature, including a num-

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This study focuses on 2,702 White, African American, and Hispanic female victims of domestic violence aged 55 and older who sought services from domestic violence programs. The experiences of these elders in terms of the type of abuse, the relationship to the abuser, the referral source, and service needs are described. Findings indicate that older women in the domestic violence service system have different experiences than persons in the adult protective service system. They are more frequently victims of intimate partner violence and have corresponding service needs that vary by race and ethnicity. The implications for older victims of domestic violence are discussed.

This article examines the experiences of 1,057 victims of domestic violence, age sixty-five and older who sought refuge, support and services from domestic violence programs between 1990 and 1995 in a large mid-western state. Specifically, the various circumstances of these elders in relation to age, gender, disability, types of abuse, relationship to the abuser, source of referral, and service needs are described. Although it is generally considered unusual for women over sixty who are victims of violence to seek services through domestic violence programs, this study substantiates that at least some elders who are victims of violence do so. The implications of the findings related to the unique needs of this population are discussed.

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