While much of the world focused on the policies enacted in the U.S. the past week, Russia created its own controversial policy.
On Jan. 27, Russia’s parliament voted 380-3 to decriminalize domestic violence. The new policy states cases that don’t cause “substantial bodily harm” and do not happen more than once a year are not criminally liable. Domestic abusers who do not cause bodily harm and have no repeat offenses within 12 months must pay a $500 fine or stay in jail for 15 days.
The parliament’s upper chamber and President Vladimir Putin must still sign the bill for final approval. All remaining signers have publicly supported the bill, causing little speculation of the bill’s failure.
The decriminalization bill opposes a two-fold order passed by Parliament last year. The previous order was that a domestic assailant is not a criminal if he or she does not inflict bodily harm. It also stated those who assault family members will receive criminal charges. The new bill, however, reverses this act.
Some proponents of the bill say it corrects mistakes made in last year’s domestic violence bill, passed in July. Referencing last year’s bill, Russian lawmaker Yelena Mizulina said it was “anti-family” and that it undermined parents’ rights to beat children. The All-Russian Parents’ Resistance movement also said last year’s bill banned parents’ rights to choose a child’s upbringing.
Others say the newer bill encourages domestic violence. Mari Davtyan, a women’s rights lawyer, said the bill is dangerous for all Russian residents. She said that it ‘sends a message the state doesn’t consider familial battery fundamentally wrong.’
One poll found that 19 percent of Russians say it’s acceptable to hit wives, husbands, or children in certain circumstances. The Russian Interior Ministry also released statistics that families commit 40 percent of all violent crimes. The report states that 36,000 women are abused each day and parents assault 26,000 children every year.
