Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a major public health problem in countries aroundthe world, including the Nordic region. Contrary to what would be expected, as the Nordic countries arerated among the most gender equal in the world, survey data suggests that the lifetime prevalence ratesof IPVAW in Sweden and neighboring Nordic countries are among the highest in the EU. Within thescope of our research project we explore this apparent Nordic paradox by using a combination ofquantitative and qualitative methods, with a special focus on Sweden and Spain. Findings from the firststudies indicate that the higher prevalence of IPVAW in Sweden than in Spain are not the result ofmeasurement bias, and thus support the idea of the Nordic paradox. However, multilevel analysis showsthat while significant differences in country averages exist with regard to IPVAW, country of residencedoes not discriminate very well with regards to individual experiences of IPVAW in cross-nationalcomparisons. The relationship between experiences of IPVAW and country-level gender equality isweak and heterogeneous. Meanwhile, review studies of qualitative Nordic research on IPVAW, and ofother research on IPVAW in Sweden, point not only to advancements made but also to remaininglimitations and challenges in prevention an addressing of IPVAW in Sweden.