The study found the biggest costs were in the employment area.  It said victims of abuse lost an estimated 11.2 billion in potential earnings because of such factors as having achieved lower education levels or not reaching their potential in the employment sector.

The next highest toll was personal costs of 2.4 billion, which referred to out-of-pocket expenses for such things as relocation, the cost of legal proceedings, therapies, drugs and other goods and services purchased as a result of abuse.

Audra Bowles, co-author  of the report, stressed that the total of $15.7 billion for 1998, the only year studied, is a conservative estimate because there are significant gaps in the available data.