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Paper short abstract

This study examines how early marriage increases women’s risk of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in Nigeria.Using DHS data, it finds that poverty, controlling partners, and social norms drives violence, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive policies and community support.

Paper long abstract

Early marriage remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria,especially in the northern part of the country, where socio-cultural norms, poverty, and perceptions of female propriety drives the practice. Globally recognized as a human rights violation, early marriage exposes girls to disrupted education, constrained economic opportunities, and increased vulnerability to intimate partner violence (IPV). Different research has explored the link between early marriage and physical or sexual IPV. Yet, the association with emotional abuse which is an insidious and are often under-reported form of violence remains under examined in Nigeria.This study uses 2024 Demographic and Health Survey data to examine how marriage before age 18 intersects with emotional, physical, and sexual IPV among young girls.In Nigeria, nearly 44% of women aged 20–24 were married before 18, and about 19% of ever-married women report experiencing emotional violence by their partners. Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) models revealed the comprehensive estimates across the three violence domains, accounting for correlations between outcomes. The findings revealed that early marriage alone does not always predict violence, but young brides are disproportionately vulnerable to emotional abuse especially in contexts of poverty, partner alcohol consumption, and restrictive social norms. Emotional violence undermines self-worth, autonomy, and resilience, yet remains normalized in many communities. The study recommends the need for gender-sensitive interventions such as community-based support programs, enforcement of legal frameworks, educational empowerment, and campaigns challenging harmful norms. The research also emphasizes justice, and inclusive governance as an essential to improving women’s wellbeing and resilience in Global South.