The authors contend that the public perception that mental illness is strongly linked to violence is the most damaging stereotype faced by the mental health community. Recently, epidemiological research on violence among people with mental illness has become available for the first time. Concerned that misuse of the new research could exacerbate an already distorted public view, a group of researchers and advocates produced a Consensus Statement that both reflects the findings of recent empirical studies and at the same time puts those findings into a non-inflammatory social and political context. (Authors)