Family Matters and Domestic Abuse in Russia: Challenges Facing The Fight Against Domestic Violence In Russia
Domestic abuse, also known as domestic violence and intimate partner violence, is a persistent issue across all nations, and Russia is no different. Domestic abuse can be defined as a ‘pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner’(Chikarra et al.,71). It is also described as aggressive behavior in the household that leads to harm of the victim by the perpetrator. This harm can be physical, mental, emotional, or even sexual. Domestic violence can affect anyone regardless of gender, education level, age, and socio-economic status. This violence takes up different forms inclusive of physical abuse, which results in bodily injuries such as punching and beating. Mental abuse, also known as emotional abuse, examples include humiliating the victim, especially in public and verbal abuse. Thirdly, sexual abuse where the victim is coerced to partake in sexual activities without their consent and fourthly, economic violence where the perpetrator exerts economic power over the victim. For instance, the denial of resources. Domestic abuse bears devastating effects on the victims; it can result in death due to physical aggression, depression, abuse of drugs and alcohol, and even suicide, among others. These effects are not limited to the victim only, but the family, especially children, and the overall community, are affected. The paper seeks to take an in-depth analysis of gaps identified in the handling of domestic violence in Russia and give recommendations for the same.
Domestic abuse is recognized as a severe human right abuse with adverse effects on the emotional, physical, sexual, and psychological health of the victim. In as much as it cuts across both genders, studies have found that in most domestic violence incidences, women are often the victims. The reason being, women are considered to be weak and vulnerable in society and are subordinate to men. This is a portrayal of a male-dominated society where people believe that ‘violence against women is acceptable especially within the family and should therefore not be spoken about or punished.’(The Advocates for Human Rights,2). Domestic violence in Russia is an issue that needs to be researched as there is a lack of statistical data highlighting the issue. The state needs to have a consolidated collection of statistical data with information such as the age of offenders and victims, gender breakdown, among others.
Although statistical data is difficult to come by, a representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that ‘domestic violence is experienced in every four families and that two-thirds of homicides are attributed to local motives’ (“violence against women in the Russian Federation,” 4). With such an alarmingly large number of domestic violence cases, Russia is expected to have made strides in combating this problem. This is, however, not the case.
The law enforcement departments in Russia are reluctant to handle domestic violence cases. Domestic abuse cases are deemed unimportant due to the ‘culture role of women in society defines both the status and rights of women as insignificant.’(Waltermaurer,172). The police declined to act on these cases. Instead, they are often hostile towards the victims to the extent of refusing to report and investigate these crimes. Victims are typically directed towards private prosecution where the victim has to carry out investigations, gather the evidence, and cater to all costs. To serve as a prosecutor, one needs to have acquired knowledge on the entire prosecution process, have a basic understanding of criminal law, and be aware of the rules of both gathering and presenting evidence. This serves as a significant setback because an average citizen does not possess this knowledge. This tedious and economically draining exercise discourages most victims from pursuing the matter. To worsen the issue, these victims usually still reside with their perpetrators who intimidate them, resulting in termination of the cases. The government of Russia needs to implement training programs on matters of domestic violence. This includes training for the police, prosecutors, and other individuals working in law enforcement and the justice department. The training should aim at helping individuals understand the dynamics of domestic violence, and sensitive them on their roles of fighting the menace.
Funds allocation towards domestic violence is a big issue in Russia, where the government does not have budgetary allocations for it. This translates to a lack of infrastructure and personnel. The most the state does is provide emergency shelter but under the condition that victims offer documented proof of domestic violence. A survivor lucky enough to have the appropriate documents will then have to wait for weeks before their request is approved, many of which are declined, all the while risking their lives by staying under the abusive conditions. To solve this issue, the government of Russia has to put in place a national mechanism at the federal level to deal with domestic violence. It should also put in place agencies at national, regional, and local levels with public funding awarded to them.
Nongovernmental organizations play an essential role in providing critical services to the victims of domestic abuse in Russia. They cater to victims who have been rejected by government-run facilities. However, they can only manage to do so much due to lack of enough financial resources, lack of enough infrastructure, and government restrictions. The government can support these agencies by not only helping with funding and providing the needed crisis centers and shelters for victims, but by cooperating with them in implementing programs to help spread awareness on domestic abuse issues.
Russia has no law that speaks on consequences for the perpetrators of domestic violence or one that provides for protection among the victims. In fact, instead of making progressive moves towards combating domestic violence, Russia did the opposite wherein 2017, legal amendments decriminalized first battery offenses among family, a sign of the ‘deeply patriarchal nature of the Russian family’(Muravyeva,114). This has made it more difficult for victims of domestic violence to seek protection and prosecute their abusers. The lawmakers involved in the 2017 decriminalization amendments did so because punishing perpetrators of domestic violence is seen as a way of interfering with the Russian family and its traditional values. This shows the chauvinistic nature of Russian society, where women are expected to tolerate mistreatment for the sake of their families. The Russian justice system views violence against a stranger a much more serious offense than that against relatives. This needs to change, and the Russian government has to put in place protective measures for the victims of domestic violence. The state can do so by either passing a new law or amending the provisions of the Russian Penal Code. This will safeguard the lives, health, and safety of women.
In Russia, like most nations in the world, domestic abuse is a common phenomenon that affects people irrespective of their age, socio-economic class, education level, among others. Domestic violence takes up many forms, such as emotional abuse, mental abuse, financial, and physical abuse. We have seen that it has devastating effects on those affected. As much as it cuts across all genders, most victims of domestic violence are women. Several challenges have been addressed on the fight against domestic violence in Russia, inclusive of lack of legislature on the matter, lack of enough funding, and negative attitude towards the issue by law enforcement agencies. However, recommendations have also been made to combat the challenges witnessed. For instance, the development and implementation of training programs on domestic abuse and the importance of the fight against it. Russia needs to put in place measures to fight domestic violence to protect the well being of not only women but the entire community as well.
Bibliography
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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. Oct. 2015, www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/ANNANCPV_RussianFederation46.pdf.
Waltermaurer, Eve. “Public Justification of Intimate Partner Violence: A Review of the Literature.” Trauma, Violence & Abuse, vol. 13, no. 3, 2012, pp. 167–175. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26638111. Accessed 15 Apr. 2020.