The police role is central to the issue of domestic violence in terms of providing immediate protection to the victim, and as a public statement of intolerance of such behaviour. Often, however, police are criticised for their lack of intervention. In order to explore the level of community support for the enforcement of the criminal process when physical violence against women occurs in the family home, 185 people over the age of 18 were surveyed in 1993 to ascertain their views on police intervention in domestic violence situations. The study was premised on the notion that police would be more likely to act if they felt they had the support of the community.