Recent sociological research on spousal violence implies a multifactor model of social variables to explain rates and sex ratios of spousal homicide across societies. Information from secondary sources, interviews with officials, and international conferences are used to describe the role of social disorganization, normative violence, and gender inequality in the high rate of spousal homicide and disproportionate female murders in Russia. The Russian situation illustrates the prominent role of social disorganization in the level of spousal homicide. However, the contradictory status of women in Russia appears to contribute to the high ratio of female murders in that country. In sum, gender inequality surfaces as a paradoxical but essential factor in explaining spousal homicides.
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