Backing up recent claims that services for abuse victims are required more than ever in Bermuda, the Women's Resource Centre has released the findings of an internal report "that should raise serious public concern about the extent and the consequences of violence against women'' here.

Among the concerns that the 42-page document brings to light is the finding that women were four times more likely to be sexually assaulted by acquaintances than by strangers.

"This finding mirrors that of many North American studies on sexual assault and debunks the myth that sexual assaults are committed predominantly by strangers,'' the centre said.

Also revealed in the report is the fact that a relatively large proportion of the centre's users -- some 88 percent -- have children. This, the centre suggested, could have serious negative consequences on future social dynamics.

"Children who are exposed to domestic violence are undoubtedly traumatised by it. In addition, they presumably are learning to use physical violence as a solution to interpersonal conflict.'' Like most controlled studies, which are inevitably limited in scope, the report should not necessarily be applied to Bermuda as a whole, the Resource Centre's chairperson, Mrs. Susan Boyd, stressed in an interview this week.

As the product of one of only a handful of organisations that provide such services, however, the report can be regarded as a fairly accurate gauge of the general extent of the problem, she agreed.

"We did it primarily because numbers are very hard to come by in Bermuda.

That's the value (of this report).'' Other findings in the report, which focused on 249 cases between 1990 and 1993: One third of physical abuse victims and less than a quarter of sexual assault victims reported the assaults to Police.

Over one third of the paedophiles reported were believed to be 50 years of age or over, suggesting longtime abuse and a general lack of rehabilitative services.

Male victims were involved in only 17 cases over the four-year period.

In addition to raising public awareness, Mrs. Boyd hopes the report will also provoke other groups to come forward with their data.

"We encourage others to share,'' she said. "Otherwise, (the whole process) remains anecdotal.'' During the past, the centre's dealings with those "others'' -- institutions like the Police and the Department of Social Services -- have been less than harmonious, according to centre members.

"In the beginning, relations (between the centre and the Police) were a little strained,'' said the centre's vice-chairperson, Ms Toni Daniels. "But we're working together now.'' "I think the Police realise,'' Mrs. Boyd added, "that we're here to provide support and not to interfere.'' Centre-Police relations have developed so favourably, in fact, that the centre will soon be devising a new violence awareness programme for incoming cadets.

According to Mrs. Boyd, the force will also be reprogramming its computers so that it can document assault cases with greater accuracy.

For its part, Social Services will try to bring together all concerned parties for a conference on violence in all its various forms.

At the same time that all this activity is going on, however, centre members remain frustrated at the generally slow pace of any real change -- namely the adoption of preventative measures.