Although it is estimated that half of all women will experience some form of domestic abuse during their lifetimes, participant recruitment in studies to learn about such abuse is difficult. The first step for the researcher is to develop a collaborative community partnership with domestic violence services. This will provide first-hand knowledge of battered women's experiences. This paper details one graduate student's personal experiences in undertaking such a research project about battered women and their needs. Several suggestions are provided on how to enlist the women in the project; how to reimburse them for their time; how to meet them at their level and not overburden them with detailed questionnaires; how to maintain their confidentiality; and how to provide them with the support they need. (JDM)