There is growing acknowledgement of the association between family violence and alcohol use. A study was conducted to examine the role that abuse plays in the lives of women and to investigate the relationship between alcohol and violence. Data were collected from 35 recovering female alcoholics and 35 nonalcoholic women on their sexual experience and dysfunction; sexual orientation; and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Compared to the nonalcoholic group, the alcoholic group reported a wider variety of sexual abuse perpetrators, more instances of abuse, more multiple incidents of abuse, and longer duration of sexual abuse. Alcoholics also reported more incidents of incest and rape. Although there was no significant difference between the number of alcoholic and nonalcoholic women reporting physical abuse, there was a different quality in the abuse described, with alcoholic women reporting more instances of physical abuse, of greater frequency and variety, and of a more violent nature than the abuse reported by the nonalcoholic women. Alcoholic women also reported more emotional abuse than did nonalcoholic women. One issue in alcoholism treatment is the need for the client to deal with the past. It is crucial that the issue of abuse experienced by alcoholic women be dealt with in alcoholism treatment. If the staff members are not trained for this specialized area of counseling, then resources for referral must be developed. (NB)