BACKGROUND: The relationship between partner alcohol use and violence as risk factors for poor mental health in women is unclear. AIMS: To describe partner-related and other psychosocial risk factors for common mental disorders in women and examine interrelationships between these factors. METHOD: Data are reported on 821 women aged 18-49 years from a larger population study in north Goa, India. Logistic regression models evaluated the risks for women's common mental disorders and tested for mediation effects in the relationship between partner alcohol use and these disorders. RESULTS: Excessive partner alcohol use increased the risk for common mental disorders two- to threefold. Partner violence and alcohol-related problems each partially mediated the association between partner excessive alcohol use and these mental disorders. Women's own violence-related attitudes were also independently associated with them. CONCLUSIONS: Partner alcohol use, partner violence and women's violence-related attitudes must be addressed to prevent and treat common mental disorders in women.