Women* in Christian-majority developing countries (eg Uganda) are 11% MORE LIKELY to have been assaulted by their partner than those in Muslim-majority countries (eg Bangladesh)*

Why?

more Christian -> more alcohol -> more abuse?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28468526/ 
*w same characteristics

i'll be honest, that finding surprised me

as christian-majority countries usually have higher levels of gender equality, eg more female leaders, more women in the workforce

and these individual controls dont include labour force participation or personal assets.

Agree, this is an excellent point.

Christian-majority countries are usually more gender-equal. Women may be more likely to name 'assault'.

This may also explain the 'Nordic paradox' - Denmark has the highest reported prevalence of IPV in Europe. https://twitter.com/MBRodamilans/status/1297527060454354945?s=20

But if this was just a reporting error (more gender equal, more sensitive to violence) we would be surprised that a woman in a country with laws against intimate partner violence is 39% LESS likely have have experienced abuse.

So I don't think it's just reporting

Another interesting result in this paper is that in developing countries with a high percentage of female graduates other women with only primary education are much less likely to have been physically or sexually assaulted.

More education some women, less violence for all women.

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa are especially likely to have been physically or sexually assaulted by their partners.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/340/6140/1527/tab-pdf

Why do you think intimate partner violence is so high in Sub-Saharan Africa?

I'm curious to hear people's priors

Then in a few hours I'll share my understanding of the research on this.

SSA...

OH GANG!

that is not the correct answer!

i think i need to write a blog on this, to discuss all the evidence and contending explanations...