The old Russian cliché says: “If he beats, he loves”. Despite the paradox, this outdated attitude still forms a part of the modern Russian mentality. In 2017, the act of domestic violence was decriminalised by the Kremlin, reinforcing dominating patriarchal beliefs that have penetrated deep into the Russian society’s psyche.
THE LOCKDOWN
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the problem of domestic abuse became more transparent than ever-before. Due to the imposition of a nationwide lockdown in Russia, aiming to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the progress made to combat domestic violence stagnated. Many victims were trapped at home together with their abusers, which made it difficult for them to reach out for help or seek shelter.
This is not an issue unique to Russia; the upsurge in the number of reported cases worldwide is alarming. The World Health Organization (WHO) is “deeply troubled” by the spike of 60% in domestic violence hotline calls across Europe in April, compared to the same time last year. Online enquiries to violence prevention support hotlines have also increased by five times in Europe alone. Furthermore, according to the WHO, “only a fraction of cases is ever reported.”
In response to the concerns surrounding lockdown and domestic violence, countries including the United States, members of the European Union, and Latin America have directed significant public attention to the protection of victims and prevention of domestic assault during lockdown. For example, the Argentinian government declared pharmacies as safe spaces for domestic abuse victims, and the Spanish government allowed victims to be exempt from quarantine if they experience violence in their household.
The Russian government, on the other hand, dismissed domestic violence as an insignificant problem. Due to the 2017 decriminalisation of domestic violence, the issue is no longer regarded as a federal crime and, therefore, not prioritised by the Russian authorities. According to Russian NGO workers, the police turned a blind eye in some cases to the appeals of domestic violence victims as they were too busy monitoring the enforcement of quarantine measures.
As a result of this neglect, domestic abuse victims in Russia were left in a more vulnerable position than pre-COVID. Nine Russian NGOs voiced their concerns in an appeal to government officials in May, as the numberof cases of domestic abuse doubled in comparison to the monthly average. This increase has been observed across Russia. The Anna Centre (a Russian domestic abuse help centre) witnessed a 30% upsurge in calls for help. To act upon this, the hotline transitioned to working 24/7. The help centre Sestry also recorded a sharp upsurge in appeals in April and May 2020—double the amount compared to the same period in 2019.
Paradoxically, Russia’s Interior Ministry released statistics in April showing that rates of domestic violence in lockdown decreased by 9%. However, domestic violence charities have highlighted that, by being trapped in the same household as the abuser, many victims are stripped of all opportunity in reporting their maltreatment. As a result, thousands of women have been left hopeless and silenced in their suffering.
2017 DECRIMINALISATION OF DOMESTIC ABUSE
In 2017, Vladimir Putin ratified a bill to decriminalise domestic abuse. As domestic violence is no longer classified as a crime, abusers recognised that they will not receive severe punishment and that the authorities are tolerant of their actions (unless the victim requires hospitalisation). Administrative policies, such as a fine of 30,000 rubles (£300 or US$410), have been introduced instead, as the offence brings “no-lasting harm”. In reality, violence occurs in one in four families in Russia, with two-thirds of homicides attributable to “household or domestic motives,” and a reported 14,000 women dying per year as a result.
Contacting the police is a fruitless undertaking—the authorities prioritise federal offences. The police often refuse to investigate or respond to domestic abuse complaints. By reporting their abuser, the victim runs the risk of endangering their own safety with the abuser’s power within the particular community overshadowing the victim’s complaints. This purported disobedience to the head of the family can lead to greater psychological, economic, or physical maltreatment at home.
The new law complicates the prosecution of abusers. In research commissioned by the Russian State Duma, domestic violence takes place in approximately one out of ten families. 40% of all crime takes place within the family. Additionally, as the UN states, domestic violence is hugely under-reported around the world due to factors such as economic dependence, fear of losing custody, prejudice against victims, and lack of legislation, amongst others.
As a result, Russia’s judicial and social systems (designed to accommodate the needs of those in seeking help) are only aggravating the situation for the victims. By normalising domestic battery, dismissing it as a “family matter,” the authorities are exposing this vulnerable segment of society to deadly dangers.
THE RADICAL RIGHT AND ORHTODOX ACTIVISTS
The engine behind the decriminalisation law is the government’s commitment to Russian traditions. The subservience of women and children to their fathers and husbands is a long-standing tradition in Russia. Politicising traditional values (for example, with the inclusion of God and sacredness of marriage in the 2020 reformed Constitution), is a step backwards from building a modern, democratic society.
A major public health problem has been sacrificed for the sake of tradition. The Kremlin increasingly rejects human rights as being inconsistent with Russian values. Elena Mizulina, the author of the decriminalisation bill and the head of various radically-conservative laws, explained her agenda on the bill, backed up by the Russian Orthodox Church. The family, she says, is an autonomous, sacrosanct unit, and the state’s intrusion is “anti-family” and “discriminatory”. Patriarch Kirill echoes this as he proclaims that criminalisation of domestic abuse represents a foreign influence that does not align with traditional Russian values. Accordingly, the 2017 bill was passed for the “protection of the family and reconciliation”.
The patriarchal mindset of those in power permeates the issue. In addition to the notorious Russian Orthodox patriarchal regime within the church, the outdated attitudes weave into every aspect of society, ranging from unequal pay to open, verbal hostility towards women and LGBTQ members. The gender gap is also evident within the Russian Duma. 385 out of 450 MPs of the Russian Parliament agreed to decriminalisation in February 2017. On that day, the Duma was composed of 84.2% men and 15.8% women MPs – a notable gender gap when compared to other countries such as the UK, whose government contained 32% female members in 2017.
Nevertheless, progress has been made. Prominent political figures such as Valentina Matvienko (the chairwoman of the Federation Council), Tatiana Moskalkova (human rights ombudsman), and Alena Popova (a renowned activist), amongst many others, have been working towards change. Margarita Gracheva’s case putthe spotlight on the increasingly-heated debate. In 2017, Margarita’s husband chopped off her arms. Despite reporting her attacker to the police multiple times, all of her queries were ignored. Now she is a writer and an activist who inspires many victims to speak out and the Russian people to work together for a better future. To fight against an ingrown mentality is challenging, but there is hope.
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
To create a safe environment for women and limit the number of violence perpetrators, the government, together with the general public, needs to act cooperatively in facing the problem. To prevent the recurrence of violence, the response requires a multi-sectoral approach.
The government’s strategy so far has been a denial of the existence of the issue. Drawing out a clear strategy and defining goals towards a more progressive society is complicated, yet four steps can help to initiate change.
Step 1 involves admitting there is a problem and recognising domestic violence as a threat to human rights. In international law, domestic violence is recognised as a violation of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) laws are relevant to domestic violence as such acts violate the right to life, liberty, and security of a person, as well as the right to private and family life (the deprivation of liberty often occurs under domestic violence). In addition, family violence violates the prohibition of inhumane or degrading treatment and prohibition of discrimination. Today, the UN is taking affirmative action to tackle domestic violence; it is building on the Spotlight Initiative, partnering with the EU, to eradicate all forms of domestic abuse against women and girls.
By recognising domestic violence as a violation of human rights, Russia can stimulate inner change and protect its vulnerable citizens.
Step 2 calls for increasing awareness of and taking steps towards gender equality. This could be done by adding sexual education to the school curriculum or promoting feminist campaigns.
Step 3 is ratifying the Istanbul Convention. The Russian government should sign and ratify the IstanbulConvention, taking steps to apply an internationally-recognised protective framework for domestic abuse victims.
The Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention is a human rights treaty aiming to combat all forms of domestic violence. It is a legally-binding set of guidelines with the ultimate goal of ending the impunity of violence perpetrators. So far, the Convention has been signed by 45 countries and the European Union. Russia has refused to sign the treaty as it contradicts with its aforementioned traditions.
Step 4 is creating a safe environment for the victims in the form of help centres and shelters.
The new slogan, advocated by liberal campaigners, states: “if he beats, he sits [in prison],” reversing the original meaning of the cliché “if he beats, he loves”. Only by fighting the injustice that stems from within, can we extricate the problem.
Daria is an undergraduate student at UCL, pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature with Spanish language. She is looking forward to doing the Law Conversion course following her degree. Her goal is to spread awareness about human rights, especially about issues such pervasive gender inequality and intersectional inequality and how these vary within different cultures.