Capital: Moscow
Language: Russian
Religion: Primarily Russian Orthodox
Life Expectancy: 67.8
GDP per Capita: $8 676 per capita
• 36000 women are beaten every day by a husband or partner
• 70% say they have experienced physical abuse by a male partner or intimate (one of the highest in the world)
• In 1994, 565,000 cases of domestic violence were reported to the police
• 32% of all murders are women killed by domestic violence. In fact approximately every forty minutes one women dies from domestic violence, that’s around 14 000 a year.
• Both a source and destination country for sex trafficking
Beautiful art expressing violence against women,
Russian proverb – “A beating man is a loving man”
In researching Russia I discovered that domestic violence is a huge problem. And to make it worse police are often hesitant to intervene and “interfere” with family matters. Men who do beat or rape their wives are unlikely to face prosecution; therefore most cases of domestic violence are left unreported. As well women who are looking for help do not have very many options. In 2009 there were only 20 shelters in the entire country for women fleeing domestic violence and not one of them was found in Moscow the largest city in Russia. It’s hard to say that the problem is getting any better, this year alone 18 non-governmental organizations or charities working on issues of domestic violence against women were closed in Russia, due to a lack of federal and local funding. I found and read so many articles that talk about this violence, check them out for your self;
I couldn’t believe these statistics and more then that I couldn’t believe that I had never heard these shocking numbers before. I mean I know that domestic violence is a big problem around the world, but I had no idea Russia was the worst. I can’t imagine what it would be like for those women, having no where to go and no one to turn to…what would you do, where would you go?
"What would you do, where would you go?" I would feel very lonely and afraid. I would want to run but not know where to go. Given the lack of recoginition and understanding of the problem, I would also likely feel very ashamed and perhaps mistakenly think that it was either my fault or as a result of my decision(s).
ReplyDeleteI am sad for these women. They need advocates, the society needs education, good policy makers, a social conscience and laws, the oppressed require enforcement of discipline on the oppressor.
Thank you for bringing attention to these very serious crimes inflicted on Russian women. More voices are necessary. These women have no voice, they have no forum.
"Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant." Elie Wiesel
I am proud of this work, Nadine. And proud of you. ("the other" N Wilk)