Most people travel under the assumption that the cultural revolution of communist Russia granted women automatic equality. Posters of women in industrial settings, and other propaganda offerings gave people the idea that women had finally reached a status that was not only equal, but in some cases superior to that of men.
For those under such illusion, the abuse law presently on the books in Russia points to a completely different picture.
In order for a man to be incarcerated for domestic violence or violence against women, the damage done must be so extensive that it could be close to attempted homicide, or in most cases, result in death.
In fact, if a woman's nose and ribs are broken, a court would mostly decide on a small fine, of around 1,000 dollars or less and no imprisonment. And that decision would come from a civil court, not a criminal one, since such injuries are not enough to warrant indictment.
Calls for scrapping existing domestic violence laws, in favor of new and better ones have been all but ignored by Putin and his party. To make matters worse, the activists that have taken up the cause for better legislation to protect women, are now being persecuted by the Orthodox church.
It is an irony of time, that an institution such as the Orthodox church, which only a few decades ago had all but been wiped out of the map, is now deciding legislation and mores in lockstep with politicians like Putin.
The persecution of activists who fight for better women's rights, are usually attacked for 'undermining' Russian 'family values.'
What is worse, Russia is a member of the Group of Eight, an economic group that has noticeable economic leverage worldwide. But Russia is the only country of the eight, which does not have proper domestic violence legislation on its books. Domestic sexual abuse, at any level, is not even considered a crime on any body of law.
The dismal conditions of women in Russia is underscored by a vicious proverb, that says that 'he beats her means he loves her'. With such epitaphs to women's rights, there is little hope that the situation for Russian women will improve any time soon.
The statistics are staggering: almost 14,000 cases of very violent domestic abuse occur every year. These are the cases where the women dies of their injuries. The number of women who are abused, but do not die, are not reported.
However, the government does keep statistics on physical and sexual domestic abuse. According to these compilations, almost 25% pf all women suffer from these abuses.
In addition, if the woman seeks a civil trial against her tormentor, she has to pay for a lawyer, while the husband can avail himself of free counsel from the state, as the defendant.
There is a law proposal that has been in the works for some time, but when it will be adopted no one can guess. But such law would only serve as a 'preventative' not a punitive law, since the perpetrator would be sent home with a promise of some sort of behavioral therapy and the commitment of refraining from further violence. But there is nothing in the legislation that promises a crackdown, and imprisonment, for such violent behavior.
One of the reasons even the above proposal is being blocked by politicians in Putin's camp, is because they assert that such legislation would cause marriages to dissolve. In other words, if women were empowered against men's violence, they might decide to divorce, as if lack of legislation and the consequent abuse could be a 'cementing' factor in people deciding to remain together. Such abject and hypocritical morality is one of the hallmark of a comunist rule gone awry. In fact the same politicians are proposing a divorce tax that would pose a significant burden on the person bringing the legal separation action.
These actions, the politicians affirm, are justified in light of the continously declining numbers in population that has plagued Russia for years. Although the problem is more with early mortality, with the average Russian's lifespan pegged at 42 years old, numbers not seen since the age of Christ, than with births, the rampant social issues in Russia do contribute to a shrinkage of population.
To counter such population decline problems, and the consequent economic issues, the Russian government has allied itself with the Orthodox church to force couples to remain in marriage, and has also passed laws that impose draconian burdens on couples that wish to separate. In addition, there are incentives for those families that have three children or more.
However, such morality have not stopped Putin from divorcing his aging wife, Ludmilla, amid rumors of his impending marriage to a young gymnast, Alina Kabayeva.
For now, any legislation that protects women's rights against domestic violence is being stalled, and no one knows when and if it will pass.
To make matters worse, there are almost no networks for battered women. The only center for severely abused women in Moscow has only 35 beds. Moscow has a total population of 11.5 million people.
Op-Ed
Partial source : Bloomberg/ 10.28.13
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