This paper concerns the variety of responses women commonly make to provocation--to frustration, thwarting, hurt, deprivation, and other conditions which usually lead to some kind of emotional arousal, the experience of anger, and possibly aggression. Gender differences (culturally shaped) are reviewed where relevant, and a brief review of the socialization for pacifism versus aggression is also given. Several "scripts" for women's reactions to provocation are given. These involve aggression-turned-inward, anger defined as "hurt" and subsequent forms of counteraggression, open and direct forms of counteraggression, and coping responses to provocation. (Author)