title: Influence of community social norms on spousal violence: a population-based multilevel study of Nigerian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether social norms toward spousal violence in Nigeria, at the state level, are associated with a woman's exposure to physical and sexual violence perpetrated by her husband.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey, we fit four 3-level random intercepts models to examine contextual factors associated with spousal violence while accounting for individual-level predictors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 18,798 ever-married Nigerian women in our sample, 18.7% reported exposure to spousal sexual or physical violence. The prevalence was geographically patterned by state and ranged from 3% to 50%. Permissive state-level social norms toward spousal violence were positively associated with a woman's report of physical and sexual violence perpetrated by her husband (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17, 2.77), after adjusting for individual-level characteristics. A number of individual-level variables were significantly associated with victimization, including a woman's accepting beliefs toward spousal violence (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.09, 1.14). Women living in states with Sharia law were less likely to report spousal violence (OR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.35, 0.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to end violence against women, particularly spousal violence, should consider broader social and contextual determinants of violence including social norms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. nlinos@post.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Linos
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slopen
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berkman
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawachi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012925:Social Conformity; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult