The author first looks at ethnographic evidence for Papua New Guinea that suggest women there who attempt or commit suicide often do so after they have been beaten. Secondly, she examines the options that are available to such women. Counts argues that suicide in Kaliai is a strategy that permits a woman to retaliate against violent treatment, even though her retaliation is necessarily exercised indirectly & requires that others act on her behalf after her death. (36 refs.)