Wife abuse. The diagnosis and its implications.

Wife abuse is receiving widespread attention in the lay press, but its discussion in the medical literature has been rare. Identifying a victim of wife abuse is complicated, since these women will seldom volunteer that information. There are no economic, educational, or class predictors of wife abuse. Suspicion of abuse should be aroused if there is (1) a substantial delay between time of injury and presentation of treatment, (2) evidence of repeated injuries to the face and neck, or (3) a previous history of abuse. Social agencies for the care and counseling of these victims exist and should be used.