The purposes of this study were to describe the occurrence of chronic pain and to evaluate for differences in pain characteristics and intimate partner violence between women who reported mild compared with moderate to severe chronic pain. A convenience sample of community-based women (N = 84) was recruited. The 77% of women who reported chronic pain were dichotomized into two groups. Women with moderate to severe pain (n = 49) were significantly more likely to be unemployed, to be in the abusive relationship longer, to report more minor injuries and threats of violence, and to report pain in multiple locations that significantly interfered with every aspect of their lives. © SAGE Publications 2011.